Chandamama Telugu Website Launched

Chandamama Telugu Website Launched

Techtree News Staff, Feb 29, 2008 2153 hrs IST

The Telugu Web site is accessible at www.chandamama.com/telugu, and contains a mix of popular Chandamama stories in Telugu, panning across genres including mythology, history, comedy, and contemporary.

Earlier this week, Chandamama launched their Telugu site; the first out of 12 language editions to go online, the popular children's publication said.

The Telugu Web site is accessible at www.chandamama.com/telugu, and contains a mix of popular Chandamama stories in Telugu, panning across genres including mythology, history, comedy, and contemporary.

At launch, L Subramanyan, chief executive officer of Chandamama, said they're excited at being the first children's site in India to be available in two languages. He said this is part of their 60-year commitment to reach out to children, and impart values and education, irrespective of language.

Subramanyan pointed out that the Telugu Web site contains original stories written for the Telugu publication; for instance, it has the serialized Ramayana unlike the English Web site that has stories of Lord Krishna, Lord Ganesha, as also the Devi Bhagvatam.

During the launch, Viswanatha Reddi, editor and publisher of Chandamama, said it is fitting that the first Indian language edition should be Telugu considering that Chandamama was initially launched in 1947 in Telugu and Tamil.

Chandamama, which was recently acquired by Mumbai-based Geodesic, is an extremely popular children's magazine (now an online magazine as well). Contentwise, it offers a delectable mix of the classical -- Jataka Tales, Panchatantra stories, stories around Vikram and Vetal, etc; and the contemporary -- Indian and world history, stories of (Indian) achievers, general knowledge, etc.

The publication was originally conceptualized by legendary filmmakers, B Nagi Redi and Chakrapani; their oft-cited reason for launching it -- a burning need to familiarize a post-Independence generation with Indian tradition, folklore, mythology, and history -- in the form of stories. Come to think of it... this may be the need of the hour... more than ever before...