Telangana singer, Warehousing Corpn. chairman Saichand dies of heart attack

Protagonist of Statehood for Telangana who moved masses with his songs and was made chairman of Telangana State Warehousing Corporation died of heart attack

One of the popular voices that inspired the people of the region and made them join the movement for Statehood to Telangana, 39-year-old Veeda Saichander, popularly known as Saichand, died of massive heart attack in the early hours of Thursday. He is survived by wife, a daughter and a son.

Mr. Saichand was Chairman of Telangana State Warehousing Corporation from December 24, 2021. According to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders, Mr. Saichand along with his family left Hyderabad for their farmhouse at Karukonda in Nagarkurnool district on Wednesday evening and he suffered a heart attack around midnight. He was first taken to a hospital at Nagarkurnool and from there he was brought to a corporate hospital here, where he was declared dead.

A song rendered by Saichand – Raathi Bommallona Koluvaina Shivudaa, Rakthabandham Viluva Neeku Theliyaduraa. Nuduti Raathaluraase Oh Brahmadeva, Ee Thallimanasemti Neevu Erugavuraa – at the condolence meeting of K. Srikantha Chary, who immolated self in support of Statehood to Telangana, in December 2009 made emotional everyone who attended the meeting, including K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Songs of Mr. Saichand had become inseparable part of all public meetings of Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao not only during the Statehood movement but also till date. Another number on Kaleshwaram project — Nindugaa Godavarine Kannulaa Pandugachesi, Pranahithanu Janahithagaa Nilipi Malipevaraku Kalaeshwarmu Mana Kaleshwaramu, Telangana Saaguneeti Muktheeshwaramu —made him very dear to Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Expressing shock and profound grief over the untimely death of Mr. Saichand, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said Telangana society lost a great singer and an artiste who possessed exceptional talent from his childhood. “His death at the stage of rise in his life is very painful and his role in the Statehood movement will remain immortal,” Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said. He paid tributes to the mortal remains of Mr. Saichand at his Gurramguda residence on the outskirts here and consoled the inconsolably grieving family members.

Working president of BRS and Minister K.T. Rama Rao became emotional while paying tributes to the mortal remains of Mr. Saichand. Earlier, he took to social media to express shock over the death of the TS Warehousing Corporation chairman. “Saddened by this sudden loss, A great artiste and humble soul our Sai was. Gone way too soon brother. We will miss you and that amazing voice that moved so many people.”

Ministers T. Harish Rao, P. Sabitha Indira Reddy, G. Jagadish Reddy, S. Niranjan Reddy, K. Eshwar, V. Prashanth Reddy, A. Indrakaran Reddy, E. Dayakar Rao, Md. Mahamood Ali, State Planning Board vice chairman B. Vinod Kumar, a large number of BRS leaders, MPs, legislators and other also paid tributes to Mr. Saichand with some of them participating in his funeral.