The statue of legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam was unveiled on Monday, December 15, at Ravindra Bharathi, a state-run auditorium and cultural centre in the heart of Hyderabad.
Despite protests by some activists of the Telangana statehood movement, authorities went ahead with the unveiling of the statue of SPB. They opposed the installation of SPB's statue claiming that he refused to sing a song supporting Telangana statehood in 2004, and demanded that statues of Telangana folk artists should be installed at the location instead.
Former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Telangana Minister for Information Technology and Industries Duddilla Sridhar Babu, former Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP's Telangana unit President Ramchander Rao, SPB’s sister and singer SP Shailaja and other family members attended the event.
Tight security arrangements were made for the event in view of the protest by a section of Telangana activists.
SPB, who was born in the present-day Andhra Pradesh, is rumoured to have refused to sing 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana' penned by poet Andesri, unless a line demanding statehood was removed.
The song was last year declared the state song of Telangana.
President of the Telangana Kranti Dal and a Telangana statehood activist, Sangamreddy Prithviraj, and writer and activist Pasham Yadagiri had demanded the Telangana government not to install the statue of SPB and instead reserve this honour for cultural icons born in Telangana.
Telangana Jagruthi leader K Kavitha had also backed the Telangana activists. She said that Ravindra Bharathi must be reserved for Telangana folk artists.
The 7.2-feet bronze statue of SPB was prepared in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking at the event, Telangana Minister Sridhar Babu said that SPB left an indelible and enduring imprint on the history of Indian film music.
He described SPB as an artist who transcended linguistic and cultural boundaries.
He recalled that SPB had rendered more than 40,000 songs in 14 Indian languages, demonstrating the universal appeal of music.
"With more than 40,000 songs in 14 Indian languages, his voice carried emotion and life, staying ever-fresh across generations and securing a timeless place in people's hearts," he said.
Sridhar Babu said that even as generations change, SPB's songs continue to retain their freshness and emotional resonance, touching the hearts of Telugu audiences and music lovers across the country.
The Minister noted that SPB was not only an unparalleled playback singer but also a versatile actor, music composer and dubbing artist.
He said that SPB's singing was marked by natural expression and emotional depth, often giving the impression that the actors on screen were singing themselves.
Sridhar Babu also noted that SPB consistently encouraged young talent and embraced new musical trends, while remaining rooted in discipline and humility.
The statue, he said, symbolised a lasting tribute to SPB's artistic excellence and the values he embodied.