'Desa Bhashalandu Telugu lessa' (Telugu is the Sweetest among all languages of the land') was told by the great emperor Sri Krishnadeva Raya, who himself happened to be a Kannadiga.
'Telugu - Italian of the East' was told by the European traveller Niccolo Da Conti.
'Sundara Telungil paatisaithu' (Let us sing in sweet Telugu) was told by the Tamil poet Sri Subrahmanya Bharati.
Most of the compositions in Carnatic (South Indian classical) music are in Telugu. Telugu is the largest spoken Dravidian language. Telugu Nayakas ruled over southern Indian, in the region of Thanjavur and Madurai. 40% of population of Chennai is basically Telugu, and the name Chennai comes from the Telugu word 'Chennapatnam' (named after the Telugu chieftain Damarla Chennappa Nayak. Most of the Indian software professionals speak Telugu. They have now made foray into entrepreneuship, and the names include Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao (Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai airports), Ramalinga Raju (Satyam).
But unfortunately most Telugus themselves do not know the greatness of their language or culture, and are ever desperate to run to US or make money.