Vedam Venkataraya Sastry

Vedam Venkataraya Sastry
Portrait from his drama Bobbili Yuddham
Born21 December 1853
Madras, Madras Presidency, India
Died18 June 1929
Madras
OccupationSanskrit Pandit
EducationB.A.
Alma materMadras Christian College
GenrePlaywright, Poet, Critic
Notable worksPrataparudriyam play
Notable awardsMahamahopadhyaya
Kalaprapoorna

Vedam Venkataraya Sastry (21 December 1853 – 18 June 1929) was an Indian poet, critic, dramatist, and scholar known for his contributions to Telugu literature and theatre. He is best known for his original plays, translations of Sanskrit classics, and his role in promoting Telugu theatre. His acclaimed works include Prataparudriya Natakam (1897), a historical drama, and Usha Parinayam (1901), among others. He also edited the Suryarayandhra Nighantuvu in 1916, a notable Telugu dictionary.