VĒṆUGŌPĀLARĀVU, PEMMARĀJU.
Pemmaraju Venugopala Rao papers, circa 1950-2012

Restrictions on Access

Special restrictions apply: Collection stored off-site. Researchers must contact the Rose Library in advance to access this collection.

Special restrictions apply: Use copies have not been made for audiovisual material in this collection. Researchers must contact the Rose Library at least two weeks in advance for access to these items. Collection restrictions, copyright limitations, or technical complications may hinder the Rose Library's ability to provide access to audiovisual material.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Source

Gift of Lakshmi Rao, Saleena Dakin, and Nalini Koch, 2021

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], Pemmaraju Venugopala Rao papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University.

Appraisal Note

Acquired by Emory Libraries’ South Asian Studies Librarian, Gautham Reddy, with Curator of Political, Cultural, and Social Movements, Randy Gue, as part of the Rose Library's holdings in the history and culture of communities in Atlanta.

Processing

Arranged and described at the collection level by Anicka Austin, Katherine Fisher, and Becky Sherman, February 2023.

This finding aid may include language that is offensive or harmful. Please refer to the Rose Library's harmful language statement for more information about why such language may appear and ongoing efforts to remediate racist, ableist, sexist, homophobic, euphemistic and other oppressive language. If you are concerned about language used in this finding aid, please contact us at rose.library@emory.edu.

Biographical Note

Dr. Pemmaraju Venugopala Rao (1931-2012) grew up in the coastal south Indian town of Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. In 1964, he received a Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. He joined Emory's physics faculty in 1967 as a specialist in nuclear physics. He served as Associate Professor at Emory until his retirement in 2012 and was an important contributor to the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. With his wife, Lakshmi Rao, he was a leader of the South Asian American community in the Atlanta area. In 1975, he was elected as the first president of the India American Cultural Association (IACA, Atlanta, Georgia) and played an important role in the establishment of numerous South Asian community organizations not only in Atlanta but throughout the United States. A noted Telugu poet, he served as editor for the Houston-based Vanguri Foundation's Anthology of North American Telugu Short Story series. Pemmaraju Rao produced and directed performing art works including Ramayana Ballet (1975), Kanya Sulkamu (1982), and Girija Kalyanamu (1985), in addition to working as a painter, sculptor, and photographer. He and his family hosted numerous Telugu and Indian literary figures and celebrities during their visits to Atlanta. Rao was also considered a reputed religious scholar and spiritual leader by the Atlanta Hindu community.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of materials related to the cultural life of South Asian Americans in the Atlanta area from circa 1950-2012. Materials produced by South Asian American community organizations between 1970-2010 make up the bulk of these materials, including calendars, conference materials, correspondence, directories, flyers, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, posters, and audiovisual materials. These organizations include the Telugu Association of North America (TANA), American Telugu Association (ATA), Telugu Association of Metro Atlanta (TAMA), Hindu Temple of Atlanta (HTA), India American Cultural Association (IACA), and the Festival of India - Atlanta.

Arrangement Note

Arranged alphabetically by record type.