Andhra Sabha claims victory at eisteddfod
The Port Shepstone Andhra Sabha was awarded first place in both the A division, open division categories and awarded the Good Fellowship award at the Telugu eisteddfod.
Members of the Port Shepstone and District Andhra Sabha won the coveted composite trophy at the 82nd National Telugu Eisteddfod for the second consecutive year.
The event was hosted by the Andhra Maha Sabha of South Africa at the Andhra Cultural Centre in Durban recently.
Despite being one of the smallest Telugu-speaking communities in the country, the Port Shepstone contingent emerged victorious against well-established organisations from Isipingo, Reservoir Hills, La Mercy, Havenside, Illovo, Midrand, Sandton and the Andhra Youth Movement of South Africa; as well as a few international participants who livestreamed their items.
Under the dynamic leadership of vice-president and cultural convenor Saroj Reddy, a dedicated team of youth and adults took part in a range of cultural items including traditional Telugu songs, poetry recitations, vernacular sight-reading, Telugu dialogues and bhajan choir performances.
Months of preparation and commitment bore fruit as the young performers, aged between six and 16 captivated judges and audiences.
The Port Shepstone Andhra Sabha was awarded first place in both the A division and Open division categories. In addition to the composite trophy, they were also honoured with the prestigious Good Fellowship Award for their spirit of unity, dedication and cultural excellence.
“This back-to-back achievement reinforces the Sabha’s growing legacy in the national competition. Despite their minority status within the broader Indian community, the local Andhra-Telugu community continues to uphold and promote its rich linguistic and cultural heritage with pride and passion,” said PRO Johnny Rajoo.
A special awards evening was held to honour participants last Wednesday.
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