BY DR. P V RAO

Dr. P V Rao, a professor of Physics at the Emory University, has lived in Atlanta for over 40 years. He is regarded as one of the principal architects of the Telugu Association of Metro Atlanta (TAMA).

Metro Atlanta can be proud of many things, but the one that is close to the heart of many immigrant Indians here is the dynamic and constantly active constellation of many Indian community organizations and groups that cater to their social, educational and spiritual needs. Thirty year long standing Telugu Association of Metro Atlanta (TAMA) is one of such organizations. Telugu community feels at home away from home participating in the activities sponsored by TAMA.

Thirty years is usually the length of a generation according to historians and sociologists. TAMA has reached according to this definition a stage that can be marked by a generational shift. In the year 1981 a group of few well-meaning residents of Metro Atlanta gathered in a picnic spot, in the Stone Mountain Park and planted the seeds for this organization. Since then TAMA has grown into a dynamic institution that is serving the needs and interests of several generations, young and old, members of all walks of life of the Telugu community. As a non- profit organization, registered in the State of Georgia, it can boast of having 2500 dues-paying members at one time or other, of which approximately 500 are life members. Many of them contribute additional donations for specific events and programs sponsored by TAMA.

While its leadership and management changed frequently during the three decades following its inception, its commitment to the ideals, originally conceived, remained intact. Its members, who are employed full-time otherwise, voluntarily participate and contribute to the well being of the community under the leadership of this organization. Literary events, cultural events, charity programs, and educational activities – all of these find a suitable platform under the auspice of this body. 

Four decades of immigration brought to this land not only Telugu people but a variety of Indians from various parts of India and other parts of the world. We can recognize different waves of immigration from post - independent India that gives a characteristic structure to this community. Among the immigrants at the top of the age group are the early settlers, mostly in academic and professional positions. The next age group consists mostly of doctors and engineers. It is followed by a younger group consisting of recent arrivals including computer engineers. Straddling all these groups are the entrepreneurs most of whom arrived in late seventies and early eighties. This profile is probably similar to any growing Telugu community of large size across the various metropolitan areas in North America. To this profile we must add the members of the accompanying families and specially the growing second generation, who are ready to make their impact, take the leadership roles and carve out their own destiny. 

The community life in the early years was centered around the cultural activities, including showing of Indian movies, sponsored by the Indian student organizations on the university campuses. Here in Atlanta India club of Georgia Tech was the center for such activities through the sixties. After the increase in numbers in mid sixties, the need for the community-based organizations became obvious. The first community wide organization known as TAMA took shape in the early eighties. Today an updated list of Indian community groups in Atlanta area, large and small, contains more than one hundred entries. Of these close to twenty-five are purely dedicated to religious and spiritual activities.
These organizations form an infrastructure that provides the necessary loyalties and relationships to create an active, dynamic community life for the transplanted Indian Americans. It has been the privilege of these organizations to provide an awareness of and identity with the culture and religion of our native land.

The community is grown in size and character over the last four decades in Metro Atlanta to an extent that it may be referred to as Little India. Though not identifiable geographically to specific area, a newly arriving Telugu guy can easily find all that he wants and cares for - Indian food, Indian movies, Indian programs on TV and radio, Telugu concert entertainment, Andhra restaurants and groceries, and places of worship. They are already half a dozen well-established places of worship – Hindu, Muslim and Christian and more are in planning. Yes, there are schools to teach classical Indian arts, music and dance to young and old.

With the high levels of education with which they arrived here, they constitute a high-income work force. The growth of Telugu community in Atlanta is part of a nation wide immigrant Indian success story.

Following are some of the major impact making events in the 3 decades of TAMA’s existence:
1.Inviting and hosting such literary giants as Sri Sri, Arudra, Siri Vennela, Brahmasri Madugula Nagaphani Sarma, Akkineni, Smt. Suseela, SP Bala Subrahmanyam, Maruthi Rao, Akkiraju Rama Krishna, Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, Medasani Mohan, Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma, Vaddiparthi Padmakar, Jonnavittula Rama Lingeswara Rao and may more and provided an opportunity to interact with them.

2. First production of Gurajada Apparao’s Kanyasulkam in North America (1982)

3. First symposium of Telugu writers in North America (1998)

4. Hosting the National conventions of TANA (1991) and ATA (2000)

5. Sponsoring and promoting Kuchipudi dance dramas by visiting and resident artists

6. Organizing the teaching of Telugu language to the youngsters through Manabadi

7. Establishing funds to award scholarships to high school graduates in Andhra Pradesh.

Like all other Telugu community organizations across the United States, its visible role is in organizing music concerts, exhibitions of talent, literary gatherings and celebration of festivals such as Sankranthi, Ugadi and Deepavali, symposiums for the business community and of course picnics and retreats.

TAMA can be proud of its continuing role in the service of the Telugu community and can well be ranked as one of the model organizations of its kind in North America. Each generation that took charge of its activities has some thing to be proud of its role. 

Many members of TAMA, while being active in the affairs of this Telugu community, also wear other hats. They also serve the interests of the larger Indian community and make TAMA a partner of many of the community projects. Their leadership role in establishing the India American Cultural Association (IACA), Hindu Temple of Atlanta (HTA), North American Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta (NASSTA) and Telugu initiative in Emory University are very well recognized. The cooperative spirit with which TAMA works with the many other organizations is commendable. The creativity and artistic skills of the members of the Telugu Community find great support from TAMA.

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