SRIKAKULAM: 73-year-old Yerra Atchannaidu, alias Yerra Naidu, has dedicated his post-retirement life and personal funds to teaching Telugu to the Telugu-speaking community in Myanmar (Burma), where the language is gradually disappearing.
Over 2.5 lakh Telugu people are settled in Myanmar, and in 1911, they formed the ‘Andhra Sangham’. Naidu’s forefathers migrated to Burma, but his parents returned to India as refugees during the 1966 crisis. Naidu later got a job in the Public Works Department (PWD), shifted to the Airport department in 1990, and retired in 2010 after two decades of service. In 2011, he visited Myanmar to attend the centenary celebrations of the Andhra Sangham in Moulmein city. There, he observed the decline of the Telugu language and resolved to preserve it.
“Although I worked in Central government departments they are unrelated to language. I have an interest in learning our mother tongue and passion in teaching. These two instincts drove me to improve Telugu language status in Burma,” Yerra Naidu told TNIE.
Naidu began teaching Telugu. Upon returning to India, he collaborated with Telugu teachers to develop teaching materials, acknowledging that most settlers had become accustomed to the Burmese language.
Naidu compiled a Telugu-English-Myanmar (Burmese) dictionary with guidance from language experts, and got two editions of the Telugu-Burmese book published by Telugu Academy.
In 2019, Naidu went to Burma from Visakhapatnam, where he now resides, accompanied by a noted Telugu teacher from Hyderabad. However, the teacher struggled to connect with students due to his lack of Burmese language skills and returned to India.
Undeterred, Naidu went back in 2020, but had to return shortly after due to the onset of the Covid-19. Post-pandemic, the Burmese government imposed restrictions, banning social visas and permitting only expensive tourist visas. Additionally, foreigners were no longer allowed to stay with locals and had to book hotels, raising the cost of tour.
Despite the challenges, Naidu continued his mission. Telugu hotel owner P Manohar offered discounted accommodation for Naidu’s selfless service. In April 2025, during Myanmar’s annual student holidays from March to May, Naidu conducted Telugu classes in Moulmein for 25 days with five daily shifts. Across these sessions, he trained students in Telugu speaking and writing skills.
The schedule took a toll on his health, and Naidu returned to India after falling ill. However, he remains committed. He plans to return to Myanmar in 2026 summer and aims to train young local teachers to carry forward Telugu education.