Renowned Telugu Lyricist, Padma Award winner, Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry dies of lung cancer complications

Hyderabad, Nov 30: The noted Tollywood lyricist Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry who was admitted to KIMS hospital in Secunderabad passed away. He was 66.

It is learnt that he is suffering from Pneumonia and is said to be in a critical condition. However, none of his family members is available for detailed information.

Sirivennela, people from industry say, is a heavy smoker and that could have been one of the reasons for Pneumonia. He is also known to write lyrics during night hours only. His late-night sittings and smoking could have affected his health, they add.

Born on 20 May 1955, Chembolu Seetharama Sastry, known professionaliy as Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry, was an Indian poet and lyricist known for his works in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre.

He has garnered several awards including eleven state Nandi Awards and four Filmfare Awards South for his work. He has penned lyrics for over 3000 songs until 2020.

In 2019, he was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions towards the field of arts and aesthetics. His most recent work was movies Rajamouli' RRR, Krish' Konda Polam and Venkatesh' Narappa movies.