Meet a young migrant Telugu writer from Nizamabad in Muscat

The story highlights the growing prominence of Telugu literature abroad, particularly among migrant workers in the Gulf. Nari Naresh, a road cleaner in Oman and native of Telangana, has turned his hardships into poetry, publishing Na Prayanam.

Dubai: Aspiring Telugu writers have a reason to dream big as Telugu literature continues to gain prominence abroad in the digital age.

A few young Telugu writers, mostly blue-collar workers with a minimum formal education, living away from home and working hard, transforming their personal experiences, struggles, and unique perspectives into published works.

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Nari Naresh, an NRI working as a road cleaner in Oman, is one of the few Telugu writers in the Gulf region who is passionate about his job and language.

A native of Mondara village in Nizamabad district in Telangana, Naresh dropped out of intermediate studies due to financial hardships, Subsequently, he chose to move to the Gulf about 17 years ago and joined a company as a road cleaner in Muscat.

A significant part of the village’s male population lives in Oman and other Arabian Gulf countries.

Indian Ambassador G.V. Srinivas recently released a book titled “Na Prayanam” (My Journey), a compilation of poems, written by Naresh in a community event.

“Writing has been a fabulous journey for me against all odds as it is not easy to hold a broom and pen simultaneously”, said Naresh.

Naresh encouraged the young people to stay connected with the motherland, drawing inspiration from real-life experiences and cultural nuances. He said that the essence of Telugu literature in Telangana region lies in its ability to resonate deeply with its readers by portraying life’s realities.

Telangana has a rich literary tradition deeply intertwined with social reforms, freedom struggles, and the cultural movement for statehood. Telangana writers are known for their strong roots in regional dialect, often focusing on the struggles of the working class and marginalized communities.