Garimella Satyanarayana was a patriotic singer, poet, and writer hailing from Andhra Pradesh. Born on July 14, 1893, in Narsannapeta taluq of Srikakulam, he belonged to a Brahmin family. He played a crucial role in mobilizing the Telugu people against British rule through his songs.
Kannepalli Narasimha Rao, a lawyer from Srikakulam District, supported and encouraged Satyanarayana in his endeavors. With Rao’s assistance, Satyanarayana completed his higher education, working as a clerk in the Ganjam collector’s office and later as a teacher at Vizianagaram High School after finishing his graduation. He also underwent teaching training in Rajamundry.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922, Garimella Satyanarayana actively participated and was consequently imprisoned, tragically losing his entire family during his sentence.
Satyanarayana’s literary contributions, especially his collection “Swarajya Geetalu,” served as a source of inspiration for numerous youths during the independence struggle. However, his works were deemed seditious by the British government, leading to their ban and causing significant financial setbacks for Satyanarayana as a publisher.
In addition to his literary pursuits, Garimella Satyanarayana was an adept translator, translating notable works like “Tirukkural” and “Nandiyar” from Tamil to Telugu. His writings and literary works found a place in newspapers such as Krishna Patrika, Andhra Prabha, Bharathi, Anandavani, Dhanka, and Gruhalakshmi.
Despite his notable achievements, Satyanarayana faced adversity in his later years, experiencing financial ruin and ultimately running a small hotel called “Kalpika Vilas” in Madras, which also failed. He passed away in impoverished conditions on December 18, 1952, after enduring years of hardship.