Suddala Ashok Teja

Suddala Ashok Teja (born Gurram Ashok Teja; 4 April 1954) is an Indian poet and lyricist known for his work in Telugu cinema and Telugu literature.^[3] He has written lyrics for over 2200 songs.^[1] He won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for the song "Nenu saitam" from Tagore (2004).^[4]

Suddala Ashok Teja
Teja in 2010
Born	Gurram Ashok Teja[1] (1960-05-16) 16 May 1960 (age 65) Suddala village, Hyderabad State (now Telangana), India[2]
Occupations	Poet lyricist
Spouse	Nirmala
Father	Suddala Hanmanthu
Awards	National Film Award for Best Lyrics

He was selected as a brand Ambassador of Swachh Bharat, only poet from two Telugu states.^[5]

He was awarded with a cash award of ₹1 crore at Telangana Formation Day celebrations in Parade Grounds, Secunderabad on 2 June 2025 for his contributions to the Telangana movement.^[6]

Early life

Suddala Ashok Teja was born in Suddala village of Jangaon district, Telangana to Telugu poet Suddala Hanmanthu and his wife Janakamma.^[2] Both his parents took part in the Telangana Rebellion, fighting against the Nizam of Hyderabad.^[1] He has two brothers and a sister; Prabhakar Teja, Sudhakar Teja and Racha Bharathi.

Career

Ashok Teja worked as a government teacher in Bandalingapur, Medipally and Metpally villages of Karimnagar district before coming into the Telugu film industry. He started writing lyrics ever since he was a child. His nephew Uttej a well known character artiste in Telugu films helped him to get a first chance in films. He became popular after penning the lyrics for the films Osey Ramulamma and Ninne Pelladutha during the years 1996–1997.^[7]

He won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics in the year 2003 for his song "Nenu Saitham" in the movie Tagore (2003),^[8] it is based on Sri Sri's 'Nenu Saitham' from Mahaprasthanam. He is the third writer to win this award after Sri Sri for his "Telugu Veera Levaraa" in Alluri Sitaramaraju and Veturi for his "Raalipoye Puvva Neeku Ragaalenduke" in "Matrudevobhava". He wrote over 2200 songs for 1250 movies and 2500 private songs till 2017.He won SIIMA Award for Best Lyricist (Telugu) in 2018 for "Vachinde" song from Fidaa (2017).

Personal life

Ashok Teja is married to Nirmala.^[9] He has daughter Swapna and sons Jwala Chaitanya and Arjun Teja.^[10]

Filmography

Year	Film	Song(s)	Notes
1996	Ninne Pelladutha	"Naa Mogudu Rampyari"
1997	Osey Ramulamma	"Ramasakkani Talli"
		"Inthi Ee Inti"
		"Ramulamma Oo Ramulamma"
		"Pullala Mantivi"
	Encounter	"Yudham Yudha"
		"Palle Tellavaarutunnadaa"
		"Ooru Vaada Akkallaaraa"
1998	Raana	"Rampa Chiku"
	Kante Koothurne Kanu
2000	Sardukupodaam Randi	"Vagalaadi"
	Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary	"Buchimallu Buchimallu"
		"Ramanna Ramanna"
		"Yedure Ledinka"
	Sri Srimati Satyabhama	"Meravake Nee"
		"Satyabhama"
	Vijayaramaraju	"Evaru Nuvvu"
		"Adugu Aduguna"
	Uncle	"Uncle Uncle Little Star"
		"Gitarai Ne Padanaa"
	Sakutumba Saparivaara Sametam	"Vallantha Tullintha"
		"Pachi Venna"
		"Manasantha Manasupadi"
		"Love Is The Feeling Of Life"
		"Anda Chandala"
	Shivani	"Yemandi"
	Chalo Assembly	"Aagadu"
2001	Murari	"Bangaaru Kalla Buchamma"
	6 Teens	All songs
	Kushi	"Holi Holi"
	Ninnu Choodalani	"Mudda Banthi"
	Jabili	"Pada Pada Nee"
		"Jolly Jolly College"
		"Ganga Yamuna Godari"
		"Chiguraku Yevaro"
	Bhadrachalam	"Okate Jananam Okate Maranam"
2002	Girl Friend	"Nuvu Yadikelthe Aadikastha Suvarna"
	Manasutho	"Yeppudu Chappudu"
	Jenda	"Isdesh"
	Kubusum	"Nunugu Meesala"
		"Ningikegisinara"
		"Neeli Megahalalo"
		"Indrudu Eetakallu"
	Okato Number Kurraadu	"Nemali Kannodaa"
	Bobby	"Kallallo Draksha Rasam"
	Khadgam	"Aha Allari"
2003	Pellam Oorelithe	"O Mallepuvvura"
	Fools	"Aaku Chaatu Pindelam"
	Dil	"Tamala Paku Nemali Soku"
	Dhanush	"Malli Malli Nito"
	Charminar	"Bhaj Dekh"
	Tagore	"Nenu Saitham"
	Vishnu	"Nee Pere Thana Paina"
		"Ravoyee Chandamama"
	Veede	"Adigadigo Vastunnadu"
2004	Kaasi	"Ye Marugelaraa O Raghava"
		"Punnami Jabili"
		"Patchi Venna"
		"Marugelaraa O Raghava"
		"Kottu Kottu"
		"Arere Yemaindo"
	Samba	"Kithaikthalu"
	Yagnam	"Thongi Thongi"
		"Emchesavo Na Manasu"
		"Chamak Chamakmani"
	Intlo Srimathi Veedhilo Kumari	"Bhama Neetho"
	Siva Shankar	"Nenemi Chethunu"
		"Krishnaa Nuvvu Raaku"
	Apthudu	"Toofan Ayi Nuvvu Ravali Ra"
		"Palle Palleku Untavu Kapala"
	Mr & Mrs Sailaja Krishnamurthy	"Asale Chalikala"
	Leela Mahal Centre	"Sirimalle Puvvalle"
		"Paramapavana"
		"Galiki Theliyani"
		"Chitti Chilakamma"
		"Balamanemmo"
	Vijayendra Varma	"Siggu Paparo"
		"Guntadu Guntadu"
		"Ningi Kadupunu"
2005	Bunny	"Mayilu Mayilu"
		"Kanapada Leda"
	Chandramukhi	"Chiluka Pada Pada"	Dubbed version
		"Andala Aakashamantha"
	Ayodhya	"Chodo Chodo"
		"Jimmu Choodu"
	Subash Chandra Bose	"Subhash Chandra Bose"
		"Neredu Pallu"
	Naa Oopiri	"Oka Poovula"
		"Oka Merupe"
	Political Rowdy	"Are Pachi Pachiga"
		"Kallu Therichi Choosha"
	That Is Pandu	"Jabilipaina"
	Seenugadu Chiranjeevi Fan	"Ninnemo Paaparo"
	Sree	"Holi Holi"
2006	Ranam	"Varevva"
	Sri Ramadasu	"Hylessa"
	Sri Krishna 2006	"Jagadeka Veeruniga"
	Hanumanthu	"O Hanumanthu"
		"Ramayya Ramayya"
	Asthram	"Undipo Nesthama"
	Himsinche 23va Raju Pulikesi	"Manishiki Yenduku"	Dubbed version
	Amma Cheppindi	"Maataltho Swarale"
	Roommates	"Hayire" V1
		"Hayire" V2
	Stalin	"Suryude Selavni"
	Raraju	"Bangaru Chilaka"
	Chinnodu	"Hey Manasa"
		"Ye Mulla Teegallo"
	Sathyam Sivam Sundaram	"Ammo Ammammo"
2007	Madhumasam	"Oni Merupulu"
	Athili Sattibabu LKG	"Ra Ra Ante"
		"Ee Chali Galullona"
	Raju Bhai	"Korameenu"
	Bhookailas	"Baava Muripinchana"
	Sivaji: The Boss	"Vaaji Vaaji"	Dubbed version
		"Sahana"
	Toss	"Yen Chilako"
	Shankar Dada Zindabad	"O Bapu Nuvve Raavaali"
	Chandamama	"Regumullole"
	Evarinaina Eduristha	"Ee Madhu Bala"
2008	Gautama Buddha	"Vedane"
		"Yeda Yedalo"
	Maisamma IPS	"Maisamma"
	Aatadista	"Style Style"
	Naa Manasukemaindi	"Sakhude Sakhude"
	Pandurangadu	"Hey Krishna Mukunda"
		"Matrudevobhava"
	Homam	All songs
	Dongala Bandi	"Oorori Mavayyo"
		"Nelaku Jarene Chandamama"
	Veedu Mamoolodu Kadu	"Kamala Pandu"
2010	Robo	"Inumulo Oo Hrudayam Molichene"	Dubbed version
	Jai Bolo Telangana	"Nijamena"
2014	Aa Aiduguru	All songs
2015	Dhee Ante Dhee	"Agnigundam"
2017	Fidaa	"Vachinde"
2018	Bewars	"Thalli Thalli"
2019	Falaknuma Das	"Paye Paye"
	Apple	"Raghavendrudu"
		"Paila Pachisu Pilla"
		"Nuvva Nuvva"
		"Money Money"
		"Maa Colonylo"
2020	Palasa 1978	"Kalavathi Kalavathi"
2021	Radha Krishna	"Nirmala Bomma"
	Love Story	"Saranga Dariya"
	RRR	"Komuram Bheemudo"
	Republic	"Jor Se"
2022	Rowdy Boys	"Bridhavanam"
2024	Razakar: The Silent Genocide of Hyderabad	All songs
	Bharatyeedu 2	"Soura"	Dubbed version
2025	Premistunnaa	"Arere"

Awards

• Mahathma Jyothi Phule award
• Telugu University award for Geyalu
• Telugu Adhikara bhasha award
• Vamsi international awards
• Atreya Manaswini Puraskaram
• Cine goers Hyderabad awards
• B.N. Redddy Sahithi puraskaram
• Bharathamuni awards
• NTR Telugu Athmagaurava puraskaram
• Komarambheem National award
• Nagabhairava Koteshwararao award
• Gurajada Vishista Puraskaram
• Sinare Literary Award^[11]

Books

Telugu

• Smruti Geetham
• Velugu Rakalu Novel
• Akupachcha Chandamama
• Bathuku Patalu
• Veera Telangna Yaksha Ganam
• Nelamma Nelamma
• Nemalikannoda
• Sraama Kavyam
• Naa Paatalu
• Nenu Adavini maatlaadutunnaanu

English

• Suddala Ashokteja lyrics Epic of toil
• I am, the forest, speaking

Hindi

• Dharthi maa

Suddala Foundation

Suddala Ashok Teja started an international award for social upliftment and folk literature, in memory of his father Suddala Hanumanthu. Awardees over a period of 10 years have included Teejan Bai from Madyapradesh, Ngoogi of America, poet and folk singer Goreti Venkanna,^[12] Divyangana poet Rajeshwari of Telangana, and others.^[13]