Former Proddutur MLA and Rayalaseema Vimochana Samithi leader known for his numerous struggles for Rayalaseema water rights and against the backwardness of the region, Mallela Venkata Ramana Reddy, 78, died of COVID19 at Kurnool Wednesday morning. He was on oxygen for the last 10 months and was admitted to Kurnool hospital a week ago. The body was shifted from Medicon Hospital to Proddutur for the funeral.
He is survived by his wife Lakshmikantamma, two sons Rajaramireddy and Muralidhar Reddy, and a daughter Kavita. A noted writer and Virasam member, he had written nine books and translated seven.
Hundreds of followers of Venkata Ramana Reddy converged at the hospital to have a last look at him and sent out condolence messages.
Rayalaseema Samskrutika Vedika president Harnath Reddy, a teacher, expressed deep sorrow at the demise of the strongman of the region. Ramana Reddy, according to Mr. Harnath was in politics just to fight for people’s rights.
Paying tributes, Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi president Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy promised to continue the efforts made by Ramana Reddy for a rightful share of irrigation water for the region. Intensifying the struggle for water would be the right tribute to the great leaver, he opined.
Rayalaseema Vidyarthi Federation president Ramineni Rajunaidu said Venkata Ramana Reddy's 40-year struggle for the people’s rights of the region was an inspiration for the youngsters and that they were determined to carry forward his efforts.
Born on 4 April, 1944, Venkata Ramana Reddy had won from Proddutur Assembly constituency as an independent in 1983. He was in the Telugu Desam Party but came out of it after he fell out with N.T. Rama Rao.
Rich tributes poured in from the literary and political circles on the demise of Venkata Ramana Reddy.
Tirupati MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, known for his literary prowess and revolutionary thought, recalled his close association with Dr. Ramana Reddy over the decades in the fight for the development of Rayalaseema.
“Though a medical graduate and practitioner, he got a number of honorary doctorates in the fields of English and Telugu literature and music”, he said. Mr. Reddy also recalled how the visionary had surprised the literary world by recently coming up with his version of global history.
BJP state general secretary and Nehru Yuva Kendra National Vice-Chairman S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy called the demise a great loss to Rayalaseema region. “The life of a great intellectual is history in itself. He will be remembered beyond a politician or a litterateur”, he said.
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