HYDERABAD: One look at it and even an unlettered person can say it is the emblem of Telangana, given the simplicity and the inner meaning of its design, that every Telanganite can relate to. Perhaps for that very reason, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had approved the design within a couple of hours of its coming to his notice and finalised it as the emblem of Telangana. The man behind the emblem is Laxman Alley, a popular artist hailing from Kadirenigudem, a nondescript village in Atmakur mandal of Nalgonda district. He says he never even dreamt of such a good response to the design, which he designed without much expectations. “A well-wisher of mine, who is a high-level government official, told me about the efforts being made for getting right emblem for Telangana. I wanted to do my bit. The design had been in my mind for a month and it took about a week’s time to compose it,” he says. When Laxman sent his design to the TRS chief, it was approved within a couple of hours.
“KCR garu was very much impressed with it, as it was the very design he was looking for. He did not want any changes to it and after making some superficial changes for the position of the emblem of India in the design, he approved it,” Laxman explains. Rao did not want to break the flow of the words ‘Government of Telangana’ and suggested that the emblem of India (adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath) be brought down a bit. “The design is very simple, yet elegant and meaningful. Even though it is miniaturized, the details on the design are not lost and are well visible,” the artist says. The entire emblem is encircled by a golden circle, which denotes the hope, desire and determination of Telanganites for ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (Golden Telangana), that is well developed in every sector and stands as an example for the entire world to follow.
There are two inner circles, both in green colour, which stand for prosperity and abundant greenery that Telanganites wish for. In between those two inner circles is ‘Government of Telangana’ written in three languages - English, Telugu and Urdu. Inside the innermost circle, the ‘Kakatiya Thoranam’ stands imposing and at the centre of the circle stands Charminar, the majestic symbol of Hyderabad. Encircling the bottom half of the golden circleare the words ‘Satyameva Jayathe’ in Devanagari script. “I had adopted ‘Kakatiya Thoranam’ as it is a popular icon of Telangana. Moreover, in that era, the rulers and people had lived in harmony. In the centre of the emblem sits Charminar, the symbol of the 423-year-old Hyderabad, “jise hum sab, hamara shehar mante hai’ (which we all consider as our city),” he explains.
The significance of placing Charminar at the centre is not lost, given that every Telanganite feels that Hyderabad is the heart of Telangana. The 49-year old artist, who is studying ‘Nakashi’ painting and Dalit Bahujan performative art forms for a PhD at the EFLU, was at loss for words to describe his feeling, when his design was chosen for the emblem of Telangana. “I don’t have words to describe the feeling. It is far greater than any awards and rewards,” he says.