KADAPA: He is just 21 years old and still in college, but he has earned the distinction of being an anti-corruption crusader, young poet and writer. From a tender age, he started questioning corruption and negligence in government offices and hospitals. Whenever something wrong comes to his notice, he takes it to the notice of higher officials concerned and tries to resolve it.
M Saikumar Reddy, a fourth-year student at Idupulapaya Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT), recently brought out a book on 36 social problems that he came across. The book named ‘Viswa Sarathi’, a collection of poems, received a good response. He strongly believes that the pen has the power to change society and is now focusing on literature to take forward his crusade against corruption.
‘Viswa Sarathi’ was released by Kendra Sahitya Akademi Awardee Kethu Viswanatha Reddy at IIIT Idupulapaya in the presence of IIIT director Prof Sandya Rani on July 16. Kethu patted Saikumar for his impressive writing style and encouraged him to bring out more such books. Government advisor Ajeya Kallam also appreciated the young poet for his efforts.
Saikumar, who says he is inspired by social reformers such as Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu and Gurajada Appa Rao, chose his mother tongue Telugu as medium to express his opinions and emotions in the form of poetry.
“I believe poetry is a medium through which I can reach out to people and make them understand what is happening and what needs to be done. It is an appropriate tool for bringing a positive change in society,” he said.
When he embarked on his journey as a poet, his friends and teachers M Reddy Prasad, and K Ramu encouraged him. “My Telugu lecturer Dr Anil Kumar encouraged me to publish a book, when I was studying Intermediate. Though I completed my first work in the intermediate second year, it got published when I was doing my IIIT third year,” he said.
This young poet says the issues he came across since his childhood as a member of an agriculturalist family in a village like a drought, corruption in government offices, dowry issues, infanticide, pollution and several other issues, became subjects for his poetry.
Saikumar’s efforts were recognised by several people and he was felicitated by the Telugu Sahitya Vedika and Rayalaseema Samskruthika Samstha. He participated in a state-level poetry contest in 2020 held at Visakhapatnam and bagged the third prize. He aspired to become a civil servant but wants to continue his fight against corruption through his poems.