Dear Members
I, on behalf of the Committee of 2025-27, on the 85th Anniversary of Andhra Association Calcutta take it as a privilege and honour to be serving the Telugu community in Kolkata and West Bengal.
Formed in 1936, to serve expat Telugus and to blend in the Cultural, Educational and Spiritual fabric of West Bengal, Andhra Association Calcutta has since then been one of the leading meeting points for Telugu people in Kolkata specifically and West Bengal in general and has become a popular landmark and convenient place for both tourists and citizens to meet.
Andhra Association Calcutta has, later gone on to set up the Andhra Association School in 1953 to promote Telugu culture among the local populace with modern approach.
The present Committee comprising of professionals residing in Kolkata in the various fields has taken upon the mantle of a greater challenge of enriching among the Telugus the culture and traditions inherited from the home states.
Telugu culture is rich in traditional arts like Burra Katha, Kuchipudi dance, temples and dramas and of course in its culinary delights like pickles such as avakkai, gongura pachhadi, various podis, sweets such as Kakinada kaja, puthareku, badhsha, jangri etc, snacks such mirapakai bajji, onion samosa, upma pesarratu etc and of course Hyderabadi Biryani. Andhra Association Calcutta, during the year makes an effort to bridge the gap by bringing forward the cultural and culinary delights to its members.
The Committee, during its tenure, has held various activities in Kolkata as well as various outreach programmes for projecting its rich cultural heritage as outlined below:
Celebration of major festivals like Bhogi, Mahasivaratri, Ugadi, Sri Ramanavami, Varalakshmi Vratam, Satyanarayana Vratam, Vinayaka Chavithi, Christmas,etc,
Cultural events such as Film shows, Quiz, Holi, Karaoke, Antakshari, Picnic, Dramas, developing an in house music band, etc.
Every Saturday, we have the Vishnusahasranama Japam.
Every Sunday we have the Bhagwad Gita sessions, where members get to understand and learn the same.
We bring in health and fitness among members by have weekly thrice Yoga classes on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Our future mission will be initiating new pursuits on various fronts as below:
Andhra Association Calcutta is seriously contemplating a larger role in reaching out to the youth and like minded service organisations in the interest of Telugus in India and abroad.
It will take an active part in corporate social responsibility activities where corporates will be approached to help in activities such as Medical, Environmental and social upliftment activites for various sections of the society.
We would like to branch out and build reciprocal arrangements with various Andhra Associations starting regionally and then nationally and internationally in the field of education, culture and socially responsible activities.
We seek the participation of all Telugu people and like minded organisations in our endeavours and especially Telugu youth in our activities and will mentor them take the cause of Andhra Association Calcutta further.
Jai Telugu Talli !!
