Writers, people from the theatre, and political parties paid rich tributes to poet, playwright, and writer Viriyala Lakshmipathi, who died in Khammam on Wednesday. Lakshmipathi was a key member of the Abhyudaya Rachayitala Sangam (Arasam). He was a former State secretary and president of the city unit for the last many years.
A large number of them gathered at Lakshmipathi's residence before his body arrived from Khammam late in the evening. Among those were Chalasani Prasad, Chaganti Tulasi, Abburi Gopalakrishna, Chandu Subba Rao, Prof. Timmanna, Mangu Siva Prasad, Sivaramakrishna, Murthy, secretary of the district council of CPI J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy, and national council member of IJU M.R.N. Varma.
Sahitya Surabhi, the Visakha Samskritika Samakhya, and other literary organisations recalled the services Lakshmipathi rendered. Vriddhula Kalyana Rao, Peri Venkata Ramakrishna Murthy, Oruganti Rajarajeswari Prasad, Rokkam Kameswara Rao, and P. Shyam Sundar mourned the death of Lakshmipathi and said progressive literature lost a great personality.
Lakshmipathi not only penned plays and street plays, but was also involved in staging them.
