Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 20, 2023
People of Andhra Pradesh origin living in Auckland paid rich tributes to their former Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy with a series of activities including a Blood Donation Drive, an online meeting with the current leaders in their home state and a meeting with local community leaders.
The events were organised by YSRCP NRI New Zealand, stated to be a Telugu community group.
Anand Yeddula, a senior IT Consultant who led the initiative, said that the main event, called, the YSR Vardhanthi (Death Anniversary) was held on September 2, 2023.
An endearing Leader
Affectionately known as YSR, the late leader is endeared by millions of people of the Telugu-speaking community in general and Andhrites in particular, for his compassion and community service.
Mr Yeddula said that the life of YSR is a classic textbook case of service and commitment.
“He was kind when it came to the poor and fierce on his enemies. Our late Chief Minister implemented several welfare plans that no other person could imagine. It was because of his service to the poor and the projects that he implemented with a futuristic vision that YSR is remembered with fondness and respect even today,” he said.
YSR served as the 14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from May 14, 2004 to September 2, 2009.
On September 2, 2009, a helicopter carrying him went missing in the Nallamala Forest area. The next morning, the media reported that the helicopter wreckage had been found on top of Rudrakonda Hill, about 40 kms from Kurnool. The five people aboard the aircraft were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
More than 100 people reportedly committed suicide on hearing the news of the death of YSR.
This Reporter interviewed YSR while attending the Seventh Annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Chennai from January 7 to January 9, 2009. He was a leader with vision and sincere concern for the people of his State and cared for the welfare of the members of the community worldwide.
Blood Donation Drive
Mr Yeddula said that the Blood Donation Drive held at the Wesley Community Centre in Sandringham on September 2, 2023 was a source of inspiration.
“I am grateful to Bujje Babu for convening the Blood Donation Programme. Our Group acknowledges with thanks the members of our community who participated in this activity and donated blood. They included Pavan Reddycherla, Prabhakar Vasipalli, Pranav Annamaraju, Samanth Degapudi, Susmitha Chinnamalreddy and Vijay Alla,” he said.
Mr Yeddula said that the Group organised an online meeting with leaders of Andhra Pradesh in India as a part of their tributes to the late YSR.
Meeting with Leaders
“Among those who attended the meeting were Members of Lok Sabha (the Lower of Indian Parliament) Maddila Gurumoorthy (from Tirupati) and Nandigam Suresh Babu (Bapatla), Member of the Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh Madhusudhan Reddy (Srikalahasti) and Andra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society President Venkat Medapati.
“Among our local leaders who attended the meeting were National Party Candidate for Manurewa Siva Kilari, Former New Zealand Telugu Association Presidents Bala Beeram and Jagadish Reddy, New Zealand Telangana Association Former President Kalyan Rao Kasuganti and Mana Andhra Telugu Association of New Zealand Founder-Member Pratap Reddy.
“The presence of our community leaders from Auckland added value to the meeting. The leaders in Andhra Pradesh were happy to discuss the progress of the Telugu community in New Zealand, even as they paid tribute to the late YSR,” he said.
About Dr YSR Reddy
Dr Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy was born on July 8, 1949 into a Christian Reddy middle-class family as the eldest of five sons at Pulivendula.
Completing his medical studies at the Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Gulbarga, Karnataka, he served as a Medical Officer at the CSI-Campbell Mission Hospital, Jammalamadugu in the Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh. In 1973, he established a 70-bed charitable hospital before entering politics. His father, Raja Reddy, was killed in a bomb attack on May 23, 1998.
Dr Reddy was married to Vijaya Lakshmi and the couple has a son, who is Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is the current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and a daughter Y S Sharmila Reddy, Founder-President of the YSR Telangana Party.
His younger brother Y S Vivekananda is also a politician affiliated with the Congress Party.
Like his parents, Dr Reddy was a devout Christian and visited Bethlehem and other historically important Christian places in Israel twice. He also visited the Hindu Temple of Tirupati regularly.
Dr Reddy entered active politics in 1978 and won the Pulivendula constituency and became Minister of State for Rural Development (1980-1982), and later became the Excise Minister (1982) and Education Minister (1982-1983). He continued to retain the constituency in 1983 and 1985, even when Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) swept to power and the Party fared badly in the latter, which saw Indira Gandhi making him State President of the Party.
He continued the winning streak for the Kadapa constituency for four terms in the Ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha. His return to state politics saw him winning the 1999 Assembly from Pulivendula constituency during which he served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly. He became the Chief Minister in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009.
“The late Dr YSR Reddy was the personification of an ideal Leader and a man who knew no fear. We were privileged to observe his anniversary. He will be remembered forever,” Mr Yeddula said.
