Daasarathi Krishnamacharyulu was born on July 22, 1925, in Chinnaguduru, a village in Maripeda mandal, Mahabubabad district (present‑day Telangana). He came from an orthodox Vaishnava family, but he was a discreet and broad‑minded scholar. From a young age, he showed extraordinary linguistic talent. He mastered Sanskrit, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, and English – an accomplishment that later earned him the compliment: “Urdu and Telugu are my two eyes, with which I read every other language.”

He matriculated from Khammam Government High School. After school, he enrolled at Osmania University, Hyderabad, to pursue a Bachelor’s degree. But the political turmoil of the time – the oppressive Nizam rule, the feudal exploitation, and the rising tide of the Telangana armed struggle – drew him away from academics. He gave up his higher education to join the freedom movement.

Deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Kandukuri Veeresalingam, Daasarathi joined the Andhra Mahasabha, a left‑wing movement fighting against the Nizam’s feudal regime. He became a volunteer, travelling from village to village, enlightening the rural masses about their rights. His close friends were communist revolutionaries, and he soon embraced the ideology of Karl Marx, believing that capitalism, feudalism, and autocracy would give way to democracy and equality.

When the Indian National Congress called for a Satyagraha against the Nizam’s rule, Daasarathi responded enthusiastically. In 1947, he was arrested and sent to Warangal Central Jail, and later to Nizamabad Central Jail. In prison, he was not allowed pen, pencil, or paper. Yet, the poet inside him could not be silenced. He composed poetry orally, reciting verses repeatedly so that his fellow prisoners could memorise them. When they were released, they wrote down the poems. This is how his first poetry collection, Agnidhara (Flowing Fire), was born – much of it written on the walls of the jail cell with coal.

In one of his most famous lines, written on the jail wall, he mocked the Nizam:

His poetry was so inflammatory that the Nizam’s police considered him a major threat. In later years, Daasarathi revealed that the jail authorities used to mix toxic substances in his food, which permanently damaged his digestive system and led to lifelong health complications, including early‑onset diabetes.

After his release, he moved to Vijayawada, where he wrote for Telugu Desam, a daily newspaper that campaigned against the Nizam’s rule. When the Indian Army launched Operation Polo in September 1948, annexing Hyderabad into the Indian Union, Daasarathi saw the fall of the Nizam as the vindication of all his struggles.

Daasarathi’s first poetry collection, Agnidhara (1947), contains poems such as Maatrubhoomi, Desabhakti, Prajaporatam, Dharmachakram, Vasanthakumari, Silpi. The book is a direct chronicle of the Telangana armed struggle. Its most famous poem, “Naa Telangana, Koti Ratanaala Veena”, later became the cultural anthem of the Telangana movement.

His other notable works include:

• Rudraveena (1950)
• Mahandrodyamam – written in support of a united Andhra Pradesh
• Punarnapam
• Amruthabishekam
• Kavithapushpakam
• Ghalib Geethalu (1961) – a brilliant Telugu translation of the poems of the legendary Urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib.
• Timiraṁtō Samaram (Fight against Darkness) – for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award.

In Mahandrodyamam, he wrote with fierce pride:

This verse reflected his deep identification with the land and its history.

Though Daasarathi was first a poet, he later became a prolific lyricist in the Telugu film industry. His debut film was Vaagdanam. He went on to write lyrics for approximately 2,000 songs in Telugu cinema. His songs were known for their literary quality, emotional depth, and philosophical richness. The popular film Pooja featured his lyrics. His verses reached millions through the silver screen, making him a household name across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Even in his film lyrics, he often embedded revolutionary ideas – love for the motherland, compassion for the poor, and a call to end exploitation.

• 1967: State Academy Award (Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi) for his contributions to Telugu poetry.
• 1974: Sahitya Akademi Award (India’s highest literary honour) for his poetry collection Timiraṁtō Samaram (Fight against Darkness).
• 1975: Kalaprapoorna title (honorary doctorate) from Andhra University.
• 1976: Honorary D.Litt. from the University of Agra.
• He was also honoured with the titles Abhyudhaya Kavi (Poet of Renaissance) and Kalaprapurna.

He served as an emeritus producer for All India Radio and Doordarshan (Television). He was also appointed as the Government Poet (Poet Laureate) of Andhra Pradesh in 1977.

On August 19, 1977, the Government of Andhra Pradesh, by G.O. Ms. No. 862, appointed Daasarathi as the Poet Laureate of Telugu with effect from August 15, 1977. Initially, the appointment was for a period of five years. On May 30, 1981, the government issued G.O. Ms. No. 514, converting his limited term into a lifetime appointment.

However, in January 1983, a new government led by N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) came to power. The new administration terminated Daasarathi’s appointment as Poet Laureate without any explanation. This act was widely seen as a politically motivated insult to a legendary poet who had dedicated his life to the Telugu people.

Deeply hurt, Daasarathi challenged the termination in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. On July 13, 1984, the High Court dismissed his petition. The humiliation left him psychologically shattered. According to Prof. K. Jayashankar, the ideologue of the Telangana movement, Daasarathi “died of deep anguish after being humiliated by NTR.”

After the court’s verdict, Daasarathi’s health, already fragile due to the poisoning he suffered in jail, deteriorated rapidly. He had diabetes and other digestive ailments. He became reclusive, but his revolutionary spirit never died. He continued to write and recite poetry to those who visited him.

On November 5, 1987, Daasarathi Krishnamacharyulu passed away in Hyderabad. His death went largely unreported in the mainstream media – a fact that many later criticised as a sign of the establishment’s neglect of a great poet. He was mourned by fellow poets, left‑wing activists, and admirers of Telangana’s cultural heritage.

In a poignant tribute, his jail cell in Warangal Central Jail was later renamed “Dasarathi Cell” in his honour. The cell where he wrote revolutionary poetry with coal on the walls became a memorial to his courage.

Daasarathi’s poetry continues to inspire generations. His line “నా తెలంగాణ, కోటి రతనాల వీణ” was chanted by millions during the Telangana statehood movement (2001–2014). It became a cultural rallying cry, reminding people of the region’s glorious past and the struggle for identity.

His works are now included in university syllabi across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Sahitya Akademi has preserved his poetry as part of India’s modern literary heritage. Several books and research papers have been written on his contributions.

In 2014, when Telangana was finally carved out as a separate state, Daasarathi’s dream – of a proud, self‑respecting Telangana – was realised. Many cultural events during the state formation celebrations featured his songs and poems as anthems of the movement.

His grandson (or great‑grandson) continues to carry forward his legacy in the arts. And every year, on his birth and death anniversaries, poets, students, and activists gather to pay homage at his statue and his jail cell – now a protected monument.