Remembering Ram Gopal Reddy on his 100th birthday

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Sri Muduganti Ram Gopal Reddy of Thakkallapally village in earlier Jagtial Taluk in Karimnagar District, Andhra Pradesh, who passed away in a car accident in 2002 at the age of 85, was commemorated on his 100th birthday on Oct. 10.

Reddy graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Osmania University in 1942 and served as an officer in Nizam Sugar Factory for 20 years from which he resigned in 1961 and entered into politics.

He was one of the main founders of the Nizamabad Cooperative Sugar Factory Ltd. (NCSF) in 1964 and had 21,000 farmers as its shareholders, rising to about Rs. 1.25 crores as a share capital and was also the most successful chairman of NCSF as well as the chairman of the A.P. State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd.

He was also the Director of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. and a member of Sugar Export Corporation along with being a leader for the workers of the factory and the vice president of INTUC in the Nizam Sugar Factory.

Reddy was elected as an Independent legislator from Bodhan in Mizamabad District and Medaram in Karimnagar district in Andhra Pradesh where he was very popular amongst the farmers.

He was then elected as a member of the Parliament from the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency for three consecutive terms, serving for nearly 15 years and also participated actively in the Parliamentary debates, supporting the farmers and agriculture.

Reddy was also the president of the Praga Tools Union and the Central Government Officers Association of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and although he was denied a ticket in Congress in the 1984 elections, he still worked for the cause of the farmers and the weaker section until his sudden death in a car accident in 2002, while he was fighting against the privatization of NCSF and NSF by T.D.P. Government.

He was known for being a people’s politician and his generosity which came with no limitations; he always kept education and development as a top priority.

Reddy wrote three books, including “Life and Letters of Ram Gopal Reddy Legislator and Parliamentarian,” “Speeches of Ram Gopal Reddy in the Legislative Assembly” and “My Speeches in Parliament.”

“Ram Gopal Reddy had a magnificent career as a successful politician who always worked for the welfare of the farmers and workers and common people. His leadership qualities and his human approach to solve all problems endeared him to the people,” said former Union Minister Sri Bandaru Dattatreya.