Vedakumar Manikonda

Forum For A Better Hyderabad

As a President of Forum For A Better Hyderabad, he strived in bringing to light issues pertaining to Urban Planning, Development and Management, Heritage Conservation, Lakes & Water Bodies, Water supply, Drainage, Parks, Forests and Open Space, Traffic & Transportation, Water & Air Pollution, Solid & Industrial Waste Management. The Forum is focused on issues pertaining to Sustainable Development of Hyderabad and this region by highlighting the ecological and environmental problems caused by uncaring and unthinking developmental activities disregarding required prior assessment. Mr.M.Vedakumar has been working for the past 2 ½ decades to protect the built heritage. Under his initiative INTACH and other Forums managed to protect 25 heritage monuments viz., Gandhi Medical College, G-Block, Moula Ali Kaman, Laad Bazar, Mitti Ka Sher, Naya Qila, Qutub Shahi Tombs, Jamsingh Narayan Temple etc.,

The tree cutting in and around twin cities is in watchful eyes of the Group, Mr.M.Vedakumar along with concerned citizens with continuous persuasion made the Ministry of Forest to frame guidelines on tree cutting by constituting Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy District Level Committee to look into the aspect. Due to these efforts many trees were saved including 200 year old ones.

He got the honour of heading with a project on Musi River conservation and restoration with Humboldt University, Germany. He was also invited to International Water Conference as a speaker at Berlin where he spoke on Hyderabad water issue and Musi river need for integrated solution. Protection of Lakes and Ponds in the city from encroachment and violations of rules in the catchment areas is an activity, which needed immediate attention. Under the Leadership of Mr.Vedakumar has saved many Heritage Buildings, Lakes and ponds in the city.

Heritage activist

As a heritage activist he had a privilege to be the Co-convenor of INTACH, A.P., State Chapter for three years till Sep,2014, he strived for protecting precincts, rock formation, monuments and vernacular architecture. He is Heading of a Project of IHLP (Hyderabad Heritage Listing Project) in 2007. He was the Convenor for INTACH Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 2009. As a part of it, he organized many heritage activities viz., talks on tangible and intangible heritage in many TV channels and radio stations to create awareness among the public, conducted heritage walks, quiz competition, heritage site visits for school children. He played a key role in establishing Heritage Clubs at school and college levels in the state. Due to his efforts first Student Heritage Club of the country was formed at Degree College in Hyderabad. Started with 23 Heritage Clubs at school levels. Mr.Vedakumar along with noted film makers, writers, intellectuals, social activists visited 18 heritage sites which were under threat and brought to the notice of authorities. Most of them happened to be heritage structures of State and National importance like Kondapur, Kotiligala, a Shatavahana site, Rachkonda, Gandari Kota, Undru Konda etc.,

Mr. Vedakumar participated in NMM Survey in the State of Andhra Pradesh and also organized a Manuscript Workshop in association with National Manuscript Mission (NMM) which under took survey in Andhra Pradesh State in 2006 which eventually brought awareness in the 11 Districts of the State where M.Vedakumar and the other group traveled with wooden string puppetries for bringing in awareness among the people the identification of manuscripts.

Separate Telangana Agitation

Vedakumar also worked in Telangana praja front for some time.

Children's Film Festivals

He, on behalf of CFSAP has organized Seven Hyderabad Children’s Film Festivals from 1992 and also organized 1st and 2nd Asian Children's Film Festivals biannually in 2002 and 2004 respectively (alternate year to ICCF) in association with A.P.S.F.Tv & T.D.C and persuaded consistently with Government of Andhra Pradesh and Children’s Film Society, India to make Hyderabad as a permanent venue of the International Children's Film Festival (ICCF) being conducted biannually which was materialized, subsequently Hyderabad became a permanent venue from 1997. He tried his best to convince Children's Film Society of India (CFSI) and Government of India to have children's film complex in Hyderabad, subsequently it was approved. He was the master mind to initiate open forum system in Film Festivals, on behalf of CFS,AP in association with Children's Film Society of India and A.P.S.F.Tv&T.D.C., which got accolades from all quarters. He involved in organizing Film Making, Puppetry and Theatre Workshops at the International Children's Film Festivals held earlier and brought children's film movement in the country.

He was an International Jury in many International Children’s Film Festivals held in China, Iran, Philippines, Bangladesh, Italy, South Korea, Armenia and Africa since the year 2003. He is one of the member of Asian Panorama jury member of the 19th International Children Film Festival India 2015 Hyderabad. He was the founder of Oxford Grammar High school, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad.

Film Making

His association with renowned Film Maker Sri.B.Narsing Rao as Executive Producer and in other capacities in making outstanding feature films like Maa Bhoomi (Telugu Feature Film-1978) and Rangula Kala, (Telugu Feature Film-1984) Matti Manushulu (Telugu Feature Film-1991), Dasi(Telugu Feature Film-1989) won 5 National Awards to one film in this country is the first of its kind by them. He was a recipient of a National Award for Matti Manushulu (Telugu Feature Film) from the then President of India: His Excellency: Sri.R.Venkataraman in 1991. He was also associated in making of documentaries like "The City" (Hyderabad) "Maa Vooru" (The Village), which won special Jury National Award Anthropological film and Best Ethnographic etc., shows his thirst towards film making. He was International Jury and Special Invitee at the following International Children’s Film Festivals: