SiliconAndhra Sets Three Guinness World Records In California

Photos: Socialmedia

India-West News Desk

OAKLAND, CA – SiliconAndhra marked its 25th anniversary by setting three Guinness World Records during its silver jubilee celebrations at Oakland Arena on August 1, where organizers said, more than 12,000 people gathered to celebrate Telugu language, literature and the performing arts.

The event featured record-setting performances in Carnatic music, percussion, and Telugu poetry, representing what organizers described as the three pillars of Indian classical arts: melody, rhythm and literature.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric confirmed two of the records on stage during the program, while organizers later announced a third.

The largest Carnatic music ensemble record was set when 1,014 musicians from SiliconAndhra, Aria University and SAMPADA performed together under the direction of Carnatic vocalist Sudha Ragunathan, surpassing the previous record of 995 participants.

A second record was set for the largest drum ensemble, with 286 performers exceeding the previous mark of 250.

The third record recognized the largest simultaneous poetry recital. About 1,800 children and adults associated with SiliconAndhra ManaBadi recited verses from the Telugu classics ‘Sumati Satakam’ and ‘Vemana Satakam’ simultaneously. According to SiliconAndhra, it is the first Guinness World Record centered on Telugu padyalu, or classical poetry.

The celebration was attended by U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Consul General of India in San Francisco Srikar Reddy, elected officials and community leaders.

The program also included awards recognizing contributions to Carnatic music. Honorees included vocalist Sudha Ragunathan, vocalist K.N. Shashikiran, mridangam artists Patri Satish Kumar and Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan, percussionist Trichy Sankaran, and Bay Area musician and teacher Ramesh Srinivasan, among others.

During the event, Ajay Bhutoria received SiliconAndhra’s Outstanding Community Service Award. He also presented an official commendation from California Gov. Gavin Newsom recognizing the organization’s 25 years of work in preserving and promoting Telugu language, literature and cultural traditions in the state.

Founded in 2001 by Anand Kuchibhotla, SiliconAndhra organizes educational and cultural programs in the United States focused on Telugu language, literature and the performing arts. The silver jubilee celebration brought together artists, students, volunteers and community members from across North America to mark the organization’s 25-year milestone.