The family of legendary Telugu film lyricist Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry, who passed away due to lung cancer and other ailments on Tuesday, expressed its gratitude to YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for bearing the entire hospital expenses.
In a letter written to the chief minister on Wednesday, Sirivennela’s elder son Sai Yogeshwara Sarma, on behalf of the family, said he had received a phone call from the Andhra Pradesh chief minister’s office (CMO) at around 10 am on Tuesday, enquiring about the health of his father undergoing treatment at KIMS, Secunderabad.
“The CMO officials informed us that Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy garu had instructed them to bear the entire hospital expenses of my father. By evening, my father expired and the chief minister had conveyed his deep condolences to our family,” Yogeshwara Sarma said.
He said AP information minister Perni Venkatramaiah was kind enough to attend the funeral of Sirivennela and told the family that the government would bear all the expenditure incurred on the treatment of his father.
The minister also conveyed to the family that even the advance they had paid to the hospital would also be reimbursed.
“We are really grateful to the chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for showing so much affection on Sirivennela garu and standing by our family during this turbulent period. Thank you, sir,” Yogeshwara Sarma said.