Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday addressed the World Telugu Conference in Guntur, where he emphasised the importance of cooperation between the Telugu states – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – saying the states should be united, particularly in cases of water sharing and river interlinking.
Naidu said there was no hostility and only unity between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, adding that political differences should not create hostility and appealed for unity among Telugu people.
The Andhra CM also highlighted that huge quantities of Godavari and Krishna river water are going to waste into the sea every year and said river interlinking projects, such as Polavaram and the Krishna-Godavari linkage, would help address India’s long-standing water challenges.
‘No Language Superior Or Inferior’
During the event, Naidu also called upon people across the country to respect each other’s languages, asserting that neither language was superior or inferior. He also said technology does not erode languages, but helps in their preservation.
While observing that English is necessary, the TDP supremo said forgetting one’s mother tongue amounts to forgetting one’s identity. Despite the presence of hundreds of languages in the country, Naidu said Telugu, being one of the six classical languages, is a matter of pride.
Noting that nearly 10 crore people speak Telugu, he said representatives from 40 countries have participated in the conference and stressed that children should be taught to love the language.
The World Telugu Conference kicked off in Guntur on January 3, 2026, spanning three days to celebrate the Telugu language. On Sunday, Mauritius President Dharambeer Gokhool attended the event as the chief guest for a special session. Naidu, Goa Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju, and several other ministers addressed the closing ceremony.