Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry

Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry (born Chembolu Seetharama Sastry; 20 May 1955 – 30 November 2021) was an Indian poet and lyricist known for his works in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He acquired the stage name Sirivennela after writing the lyrics for the 1986 film of same name. Sastry has garnered several awards including eleven Nandi Awards and six Filmfare Awards South for his work the most by any south Indian lyricist. He had penned lyrics for over 3,000 songs until 2020. In 2019, he was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, for his contributions to the field of arts and aesthetics.