From a heartfelt post in Telugu to a solemn visit at NTR Ghat, the RRR star's tribute captured a grandson's grief and a culture's gratitude — as Prime Minister Modi and Tollywood rallied around a legend born 103 years ago today.
Every year on May 28, something quietly extraordinary happens across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana — blood donation camps fill up, free meals are distributed to the poor, and thousands visit the memorial ghat along the banks of the Krishna River in Hyderabad. The man behind this annual outpouring of love has been gone since 1996. Yet, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao — actor, filmmaker, and three-time Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh — continues to command a devotion that few Indian public figures have ever inspired.
A Grandson's Grief, a Culture's Gratitude
Taking to X, Jr NTR shared a rare photograph of his grandfather accompanied by a message in Telugu that spoke of cultural identity, not just personal loss. He described NTR as a figure whose greatness continues to live powerfully in the hearts of Telugu people — a sentiment that echoed through thousands of retweets and replies within hours.
Before his social media post, Jr NTR visited the NTR Ghat in person — a solemn, marble-lined memorial that has become a pilgrimage site for Telugu communities. He was joined by other members of the Nandamuri family, including actor and cousin Nandamuri Chaitanya Krishna, in offering flowers and paying silent respects.
Whenever I think of Telugu soil, Telugu people, Telugu pride, and Telugu identity, the first name that comes to my mind is NTR.— Lakshmi Parvathi, wife of the late N. T. Rama Rao, speaking at the NTR Ghat on May 28, 2026
Family and Political Leaders Converge at NTR Ghat
The tribute extended far beyond Jr NTR. Lakshmi Parvathi, NTR's second wife, addressed the gathered crowd with visibly deep emotion, describing her late husband as someone who belongs not to any one person but to all of Telugu-speaking people. She noted the continued tradition of blood donation and food distribution drives held in his memory, calling it the most meaningful measure of a life well-lived.
NTR's daughter, Daggubati Purandeswari, echoed that sentiment, saying that even today, lakhs of Telugu people celebrate his Jayanthi as though he were a living presence in their homes — a member of the family, their prosperity, and their identity. She also acknowledged Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's gesture of installing a new statue at the ghat.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered a formal tribute on X, highlighting NTR's commitment to governance that prioritised dignity for the poor and marginalised. He noted that NTR's contributions to cinema continue to captivate generations and pledged that the current NDA Government in Andhra Pradesh, led by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, would continue advancing the values NTR cherished.
Telugu cinema's other titan, Chiranjeevi, who recently received the NTR National Award, shared a vintage photograph of himself alongside a young NTR and wrote that no matter how many generations pass, the influence of "that great star, Ramu" would never fade from history.
Who Was N. T. Rama Rao? The Legend Behind the Legacy
Born in the small village of Nimmakuru in Andhra Pradesh on May 28, 1923, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao was adopted by his aunt and uncle and raised with a deep love for the arts. After briefly holding a government job, he left it after just three weeks to pursue acting — a decision that would reshape Indian cinema and South Indian politics for decades.
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In a career that spanned nearly five decades and over 300 films, NTR became synonymous with mythological grandeur. He played the god Krishna in 17 different films, most memorably in the 1957 classic Mayabazar, widely considered one of the greatest Telugu films ever made. His portrayal of divine characters built a near-spiritual connection between him and his audience — a bond that would later translate seamlessly into political loyalty.
A Life in Milestones
- 1923
Born on May 28 in Nimmakuru village, Andhra Pradesh.
- 1949
Film debut with a small role in Mana Desam. Rose rapidly through Tollywood.
- 1957
Mayabazar released — cementing NTR's status as a screen god for his portrayal of Lord Krishna.
- 1964
Peak cinematic output — completed 15 films in 12 months.
- 1982
Founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), challenging Congress dominance in Andhra Pradesh.
- 1983
Became Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh — just nine months after entering politics.
- 1994
Won a landslide with 216 seats; returned for his third and final term as CM.
- 1996
Passed away on January 18 due to a heart attack, aged 72. Andhra Pradesh observed official mourning.
- 2026
103rd birth anniversary commemorated by Jr NTR, PM Modi, Chiranjeevi, and thousands across Telugu states.
The Legacy Lives On — Through Jr NTR and Beyond
The significance of May 28 isn't lost on Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr., born on May 20, 1983 — popularly known as Jr NTR or simply Tarak. The grandson carried his grandfather's name and, by all accounts, his larger-than-life screen presence. From child actor to the globally recognised face of SS Rajamouli's blockbuster RRR (2022), Jr NTR has carved an independent legacy while remaining deeply rooted in the Nandamuri lineage.
The weight of that name is not lost on him. Every year at NTR Ghat, his presence is a quiet but powerful statement — that the grandson of a legend chooses humility over spectacle in private moments of remembrance, preferring to sit on the floor, fold his hands, and simply be a grandson.
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Why This Anniversary Still Matters in 2026
Thirty years after his passing, NTR's political footprint remains unmistakable in South India. The TDP, which he founded in 1982, continues to govern Andhra Pradesh under the leadership of his son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu. His daughter Daggubati Purandeswari leads the BJP state unit. His son Nandamuri Balakrishna is both an active actor and a sitting MLA. The Nandamuri dynasty is arguably the most politically and culturally influential family in Telugu life — and it all flows from the man being remembered today.
NTR's social welfare legacy — rice at â‚ą2 per kilogram, free midday meals for schoolchildren, subsidised electricity, and alcohol prohibition drives — predated many national policy conversations. These schemes, introduced during his tenures as Chief Minister in the 1980s, were blueprints for populist governance across India. His idea of "Telugu pride" and the push to shift the Telugu film industry from Madras to Hyderabad laid the cultural foundation for what is today a thriving Tollywood, worth billions globally.
That Jr NTR — now one of the most bankable stars in world cinema after RRR's success — still pauses every year to sit on the floor at his grandfather's memorial and offer flowers says something important. Legacy, in the Nandamuri family, isn't just a political talking point. It is a lived, quiet, annual act of remembrance.
As the tributes pour in and blood donation drives run across two Telugu states, one truth becomes clear: NTR's 103rd birthday is not merely a commemorative milestone. It is an annual reminder, refreshed each generation, of what it means to command both a camera and a constituency — and to still be loved, unconditionally, long after both have gone silent.
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