Warangal, TELANGANA :
With a copy of the Holy Qur’an in one hand and the nectar of Telugu verse in the other, Mohammad Abdul Rasheed’s life is a testament to an enduring truth: language knows no faith, and the alphabet recognises no borders.
Mohammad Abdul Rasheed is a rare crimson rose blooming in the sprawling Nandanavanam, the celestial garden of Telugu literature. His faith is Islam, yet the consciousness of being profoundly, unapologetically ‘Telugu’ flows through his very veins. He possesses no grand academic degrees, but armed with nothing more than an insatiable appetite for the written word and a fierce determination to weaponize the alphabet, he has authored 43 books. His life is an epic poem in motion.
Recently appointed as the National Coordinator for the prestigious Sri Sri Kala Vedika 7th World Telugu Literature Conference, this Akshara Tapasvi (an ascetic of letters) stands as a monument to cultural synthesis.
The Ten-Paise Genesis
Born on April 12, 1952, in the Desaipeta locality of Warangal, Rasheed was the third of 12 children born to the impoverished couple Mohammad Abdul Sattar and Sarabi. His romance with literature began with a childhood snub. At the age of nine, while lingering in a local eatery, he was mesmerised by the vibrant, multi-coloured jacket of a novel held by a customer. When the young boy instinctively reached out to touch it, he was harshly rebuked. That sting did not discourage him; instead, it ignited a lifelong obsession.
He found his sanctuary at a makeshift wooden kiosk outside the Rajarajeswari Talkies. For a deposit of one rupee, the shopkeeper let him rent pulp novels and magazines for 10 paise a day. Flipping through the iconic pages of Chandamama, Balamitra, and Vijayachitra, Rasheed devoured stories the way others consumed food.
“I have no higher education,” Rasheed reflects, his voice tinged with quiet pride. “But it was that raw, unadulterated reading habit of my childhood that gave me the spine to stand tall in the literary world today.”
The Epiphany in ‘Geeturai’ and the Accidental Teacher
As the years rolled on, the writer within Rasheed found his awakening in the columns of the Geeturai weekly magazine, where he began contributing sharp opinion pieces. His turning point, however, came during an Islamic training seminar. Tasked with speaking on the theme “Desh Bachao” (Save the Nation), Rasheed delivered an electrifying five-minute speech that stunned his mentors.
Recognising a rare linguistic prodigy, authorities appointed him in 1985 to teach Telugu as a second language at Hyderabad’s renowned Jamia Darul Huda Madrasa. For 12 years, he served as a bridge between communities, earning the revered title of ‘Rasheed Master’ among generations of students.
A Harvest of 43 Volumes
The year 1990 marked a seismic shift in his literary career when he took up the monumental task of translating four dense volumes by the globally acclaimed Islamic scholar, Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, into Telugu. Since then, the ink has never dried on his pen. Of the 43 books he has delivered to the Telugu literary canon, nine are original creative works:
In 2003, his seminal book ‘Jihad’ – an effort to demystify and contextually reclaim the term – was unveiled and lauded by Jnanpith Award laureate, Dr. C. Narayana Reddy (CiNaRe).
In 2021, his poignant poetry anthology ‘Bangaru Desam Naa Desam’ (My Country, A Golden Country) was launched at the historic Ravindra Bharathi stage by the venerable academician Acharya Kolakaluri Enoch.
Verse for a New State
When the fires of the Telangana statehood movement were raging, Rasheed’s verses became an anthem for progress. During the 2017 World Telugu Conference, standing on the Jagruthi platforms helmed by then Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and Kalvakuntla Kavitha, Rasheed’s voice echoed across the auditorium:
“Then, it was a Telangana of barren rocks… today, it is a Telangana of precious gems. / Then, it was wrapped in pitch darkness… today, it is a Telangana radiant with the light of electric progress.”
The stanza brought the house down, proving that his poetry was intimately tied to the soil that raised him.
To the Zenith of Global Telugu Stages
Rasheed’s contribution extends far beyond the quiet solitude of writing; he is a lifetime member who has shaped four distinct World Telugu Conferences. He famously shared stages with cultural ambassadors like Ghazal Srinivas, felicitating contemporary poets.
In a crowning achievement for his decades of silent service, the ‘Sri Sri Kala Vedika’ has named Rasheed the National Coordinator for its upcoming 7th World Telugu Literature Conference, slated for June 6–7, 2026, at the Godavari Global University in Rajamahendravaram. For a scholar from a Muslim minority background to be elevated to the vanguard of Telugu cultural custodianship is a historic moment of pride for the entire state.
A Decorated Journey
Over the decades, a garland of prestigious accolades has found its way to Rasheed:
- Gidugu Rammurthi Panthulu National Award (for linguistic service)
- Joshua Sahitya Bhushan Award
- International Sri Sri Kala Vedika ‘Kaviratna’ National Merit Award
- Prajakavi Kaloji Narayana Rao Literary Service Award
- Maulana Abul Kalam National Award
- NTR Legendary Award by the Helping Hand Foundation
The Final Verse
Mohammad Abdul Rasheed remains an inherently humble man who has spent a lifetime proving that while faiths may vary, language remains a singular, unifying thread. He is the living embodiment of the truth that letters possess no caste, and syntax bears no religion. The boy from the Warangal cinema kiosk who traded ten paise for a dream has climbed to the absolute zenith of the Telugu literary world. As his pen continues to slash through biases, the Telugu linguistic world smiles upon its extraordinary son.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Features> Focus / by Radiance News Bureau / June 03rd, 2026
