Delegates from the American Telugu Association (ATA), led by President Jayanth Challa, met Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller at the State Capitol on March 10, 2026, to formally invite them to attend the ATA 19th Conference.
The invitation was extended on behalf of the ATA Board of Trustees for the conference scheduled to take place at the Baltimore Convention Center from July 31 to August 2, 2026.
The delegation included Conference Convener Sridhar Banala, Board of Trustees member Ram Mattapalli, and Co-Coordinator Zeenath Kundoor.

“The ATA team briefed the Governor and Lt. Governor on conference plans and preparations for the first national Telugu conference to be hosted in Maryland. The three-day event is expected to draw a record attendance of approximately 15,000 participants,” noted a statement from ATA.
Governor Moore and Lt. Governor Miller congratulated the ATA delegation, expressed the state’s full support for the conference, and indicated their interest in attending the event. Several state secretaries and other government officials are also expected to participate.
ATA is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to “promoting the Telugu language, culture, and community engagement across the United States through conferences, cultural programs, and outreach initiatives.”



