Minister for Tourism and Culture Kandula Durgesh and former Deputy Speaker, Avanigadda MLA Mandali Buddha Prasad on Monday called on parents to encourage their children to develop a passion for the Telugu language to keep it alive. The leaders unveiled bronze statues of poets Chellapalla Venkata Sastry and Diwakarla Tirupathi Sastry, along with freedom fighter Duvvuri Subbamma, at the ZP High School campus in Kadiyam, East Godavari district. Duvvuri Subbamma (1880-1964) is known as Andhra Pradesh's first woman freedom fighter to be imprisoned during the struggle for independence. Addressing students and local elders, Mr. Buddha Prasad said, "Students are free to learn any language. However, mother tongue should not be ignored on the pretext of employment opportunities." MLC Somu Veerraju also appealed to the State government to include a lesson on Duvvuri Subbamma in high school textbooks to honor her legacy. Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA Gorantla Butchaih Chowdary, Sri Potti Sriramulu Telugu University In-Charge Vice-Chancellor D. Muniratnam Naidu, and others attended the event.