Cingireddy Narayana Reddy (సి.నారాయణరెడ్డి), a well-known Telugu poet and educational administrator, was born in Hanumajipeta village near Vemulawada of Karimnagar district. Dr Reddy was a professor at Osmania University. He became known to a wide public as a lyricist for several famous Telugu films.
Although a prolific writer, Dr. Reddy's poetry remains fresh. His diction is musical both in textual form and in recitation form. He doesn't use rhyme in a simple way but with associated internal rhyme in meaning and poetic metaphor. He is not particularly influenced by any of the poets who preceded him; his poetry is neither bound by the times in which it is written nor is it limited to any persuasion or style. Dr. Reddy's poetry is characterized by universal values of humanism, hope and well being of the people. He also has written thousands of songs for Telugu films. His poetic work Visvambara, which was translated into three other languages, earned him a Jnanpith award (1988).
Dr. Reddy has won several state level awards and the Soviet Land Nehru award (1982). The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri (1977) and the second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan in 1992. Andhra University, Waltair honored him with Kala Prapurna in 1978. Dr. Reddy was also nominated to the Upper House of Indian Parliament in August 1997.
