Telugu Association of North America (TANA) President, Niranjan Srungavarapu, is suing the organization and Uday Kumar Chapalamadugu((Newly appointed conference coordinator), claiming that TANA’s bylaws were violated. The lawsuit alleges that the Executive Committee (EC) wrongly appointed Mr. Chapalamadugu as the coordinator for TANA’s 2025 biennial conference, ignoring Srungavarapu’s authority as President for the 2023-2025 term.

According to the complaint, TANA’s bylaws grant the President exclusive rights to appoint the conference coordinator, a crucial role for event planning. However, on August 25, 2024, the EC members allegedly appointed Mr. Chapalamadugu without informing Srungavarapu, despite knowing he was unavailable for the meeting.

Srungavarapu argues that the appointment was premeditated, with no agenda circulated for the meeting as required by the bylaws, and that the EC acted outside its powers by nominating and appointing the coordinator. He claims that Mr. Chapalamadugu has since acted as the conference coordinator, taking steps such as marketing the event and signing contracts on behalf of TANA.

The lawsuit aims to nullify Mr. Chapalamadugu’s appointment and prevent further bylaw breaches. Additionally, Srungavarapu is seeking damages and an injunction to stop TANA’s board and EC from violating organizational rules.

This legal battle arises as TANA gears up for its 2025 conference, a key event for Telugu communities in North America, potentially affecting its planning and execution.