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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian writer}}<br />
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'''Chaganti Somayajulu''' (17 January 1915 – 2 January 1994), popularly known as CHASO, was a short-story writer in 20th century Telugu literature. His nickname, "CHASO," is a portmanteau of the syllables from his name ('CHA' from Chaganti and 'SO' from Somayajulu). He was a [[Humanism|Humanist]] who became a committed [[Marxism|Marxist]], and wrote extensively in support of progressive values and the marginalized.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-01-12 |title=Modern storyteller |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/modern-storyteller/article2792853.ece |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><br />
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He was born at [[Srikakulam]] to Kanukolanu Lakshminarayana Sarma and Thulasamma. He was named as Narahari Rao and brought up by his biological parents till the age of 13. He had his primary and middle school education at Municipal High School, Srikakulam, [[Andhra Pradesh]]. Then he was adopted by Chaganti Bapiraju and Thulasamma and renamed as Somayajulu. He came to [[Vizianagaram]] with his adoptive parents <ref>Somayajulu Chaganti, 20th Century Luminaries, Part II, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005, pp: 1024–5.</ref> and studied at Municipal High School, Vizianagaram and at [[Maharajah's College]], Vizianagaram.<br />
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His first story ''Chinnaji'' was published in Bharathi in 1942. Subsequently, he wrote many short stories and poetry. Many of his short stories have been translated into other languages. Compilation of his short stories were published in 1968. He compiled short stories of some important writers as ''Kalinga Kadhanikalu'' during his 70th birth anniversary.<br />
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He influenced many people and friends such as [[Srirangam Srinivasa Rao]], Srirangam Narayana Babu and Acharya Ronanki Appalaswamy.<br />
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He was a longtime member and president of the Progressive Writers' Association of Andhra Pradesh.<br />
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He was married to Annapurnamma (1915-2010). His children were Ammaji (1932-1964), Chinnaji (Chaganti Tulasi, a well-known writer in Telugu), Bapiraju (1939-), Srinivas (1941–42), Krishna Kumari (Noted popular science writer (1947-) and Sankar (noted short story writer and Municipal Commissioner (1952-1996).<br />
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He died of throat cancer on 2 January 1994 at the age of 79 in [[Madras]]. As per his wish, his family members donated his eyes and body to [[Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute]] for research purposes.<br />
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== Books ==<br />
''Chinnaji Kathalu'' (1943)<br />
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''Chaso Kathalu,'' Visalandhra Publishing House, Hyderabad<br />
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''Chaso Kavithalu'' - Visalandhra Publishing House, Hyderabad<br />
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''Merugu'' - One act play<br />
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His short stories are translated into English and published as "Chaso - Selected short stories" by Sahitya Academy in 2014. Some of his stories are translated into English by Velcheru Narayana Rao and David Schulman for Penguin Classics (A Doll's Wedding and Other Stories). <br />
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== Some of Chaso's famous stories ==<br />
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* ''Kunkudaaku''<br />
* ''Bondu Mallelu'''<br />
* ''Chokka Bochuthuvvalu''<br />
* ''Chinnaji''<br />
* ''Dummalagondi''<br />
* ''Empu''<br />
* ''Kukkuteshwaram''<br />
* ''Enduku Paresthanu Nanna''<br />
* ''Oohaa voorvasi''<br />
* ''Parabrahmam''<br />
* ''Vaayuleenam''<br />
* ''Eloorellali''<br />
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== Chaso Foundation ==<br />
One of his daughters, Chaganti Tulasi, established the Chaso Foundation in 1995 and awards the "Chaganti Somayajulu (Chaso) Memorial Literary Award" to progressive writers every year on Chaso's birthday, January 17th.<ref>{{Cite web |last=India |first=The Hans |date=2018-01-18 |title=Chaso award presented |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Andhra-Pradesh/2018-01-17/Chaso-award-presented/352531 |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.thehansindia.com |language=en}}</ref><br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* http://www.vundavilli.com/Telugu/Personalities/teluguPersons.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820075601/http://www.vundavilli.com/telugu/Personalities/teluguPersons.htm |date=20 August 2010 }}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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[[Category:Telugu people]]<br />
[[Category:Telugu-language writers]]<br />
[[Category:1915 births]]<br />
[[Category:1994 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]<br />
[[Category:People from Srikakulam]]<br />
[[Category:Writers from Andhra Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]<br />
[[Category:People from Uttarandhra]]</div>Masterstrock