National-award winning lyric writer Suddala Ashok Teja, who penned songs such as Nenu Saitham (Tagore), Hylessa (Sri Ramadasu) and Oo Mara Manishi (Robo), has been diagnosed with liver disease and admitted to a private hospital in Gachibowli on Thursday.

Suddala's nephew and renowned character artiste Uttej stated that the 66-year-old lyric writer will undergo liver transplant on Saturday evening. His condition is said to be stable. "He (Suddala) required blood donors and upon reaching out to Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT), they promised us that they will arrange blood for the surgery," said Uttej in a statement.

Born at Suddala in Nalgonda district to Janakamma and Suddala Hanmanthu, a poet of the Telangana Rebellion and Telangana Saayudha Porata Yodhudu, Suddala has recently written three songs for director SS Rajamouli's upcoming period action entertainer RRR (Roudram Ranam Rudhiram).