The BJP SC Morcha on Sunday (May 17, 2026) organised a cultural rally and ‘Dappula Bharat Pradarshana’ in Vijayawada as part of the 135th birth anniversary celebrations of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The event, themed ‘Dalitula Atma Gaurava Gunde Chappudu’ (Heartbeat of Dalit Self-Respect), featured Dalit culture, traditional art forms, and Ambedkarite ideals.

The procession began at the Municipal Stadium and moved along Bandar Road and M.G. Road amid drum performances, fireworks, and cultural displays by thousands of ‘dappu’ artists. A large statue of Ambedkar mounted on a trolley was the main attraction.

Andhra Pradesh Medical and Health Minister Y. Satya Kumar Yadav, BJP State president P.V.N. Madhav, and BJP SC Morcha State president Panthala Suresh led the rally and later offered floral tributes to the Ambedkar statue. BJP SC Morcha leaders, party workers, cultural artists, and supporters from across the State took part in the event.

Organisers said the programme was aimed at building self-confidence and cultural awareness among Dalit youth, and at spreading the ideals of equality, self-respect, and constitutional values that Ambedkar upheld.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Suresh said Ambedkar’s ideals should reach every section of society, and that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working to fulfil Ambedkar’s vision. He demanded that 17,000 village-level ‘chatimpu’ posts be filled, along with appointments for ‘dappu’ artists in temples and Lalita Kala institutions. He also urged the government to provide free bus travel for ‘dappu’ artists.

Drum beats, folk performances, and slogans praising Ambedkar’s contributions to social justice and the Indian Constitution marked the rally.

An auto driver, K. Nagaraju, 24, who had fallen from a building in Enikepadu while speaking on the phone, died of his injuries on Saturday (May 9, 2026).

According to the police, Mr. Nagaraju had fallen from the terrace of a building on Shivalayam Street on May 3, and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. He died at the hospital while undergoing treatment, after his condition worsened over the past week.

The Patamata police have registered a case and taken up an investigation into the circumstances of the fall.

Former principal of Andhra University R.D. Ratna Raju, on Saturday, deliberated upon quantum theory’s interface between mind and brain, emphasising its potential for significant progress in agriculture, medicine and metallurgy through innovative applications.

Speaking at a ‘Quantum Summit’, organised in Vijayawada by former students of quantum physics in Andhra University, to commemmorate the birth anniversary of theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, Prof. Ratna Raju, a physicist with a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and who has made major contributions to quantum mechanics education and nuclear physics research, commended the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Quantum Valley initiative, noting its role in bridging quantum foundations to real-world impact.

Prof. Ratna Raju explained that the Quamtum Valley project is built on core principles of quantum physics -superposition, entanglement, and quantum interference, which enable quantum computers to process information far beyond classical computers. Technologies such as IBM’s 156-qubit Heron processor use these principles to explore possibilities and solve complex problems in areas such as cryptography, optimisation and drug discovery.

He said the initiative backed by Mr. Naidu aims to create a complete quantum ecosystem in Amaravati, including hardware manufacturing, software development, and large-scale skill training in quantum science. The project also includes quantum communication technologies based on the no-cloning theorem for ultra-secure networks.

“Overall, the vision is to use real, cutting-edge quantum science to position Andhra Pradesh as a global leader in quantum technology, similar to its earlier push in the IT sector,” he said.

The AU alumni, who included scientists in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other major organisations, felicitated Prof. Ratna Raju, noting that his textbook ‘Foundations of Quantum Mechanics’ is widely used in Indian universities for its clear explanations and rigorous mathematical treatment.

The alumni have requested the government to allocate land to them for developing quantum technologies. They proposed to organise an international symposium on Quantum Technologies in Visakhapatnam in August and invite Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to be part of the event.

Those who attended the meeting included former Vice-Chancellor of Vikrama Simhapuri University (VSU) in Nellore district Prof. V. Veeraiah, former Vice-Chancellor (in-charge) and Rector of AU K. Samatha and former Professors from AU V. Bhaskara Rao, M. Puranchandra Rao, K. Hanumantha Rao, D.L. Sastry and K. Chandra Mouli among others.