Yadlapati Venkata Rao (16 December 1919 – 28 February 2022) was an Indian politician from the state of Andhra Pradesh. Rao served as the Minister for Agriculture, Law and Planning in the united Andhra Pradesh from 1978 to 1980. He was elected thrice to the Vemuru Assembly constituency of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), and served as the Member of Parliament (MP) in Rajya Sabha representing Andhra Pradesh between 1998 and 2004.
Yadlapati Venkata Rao | |
|---|---|
 Rao in an interview with ABN Andhra Jyothi in 2018 | |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 22 June 1998 – 21 June 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Renuka Chowdhury |
| Succeeded by | Jairam Ramesh |
| Constituency | Andhra Pradesh |
| Minister for Agriculture, Law and Planning Government of Andhra Pradesh | |
| In office 6 March 1978 – 11 October 1980 | |
| Governor | Sharda Mukherjee K. C. Abraham |
| Chief Minister | Marri Chenna Reddy |
| Member of Legislative Assembly Andhra Pradesh | |
| In office 1967–1983 | |
| Preceded by | Kalluri Chandramouli |
| Succeeded by | N. Bhaskara Rao |
| Constituency | Vemuru |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 December 1919 Bodapadu, Madras Presidency, British India |
| Died | 28 February 2022 (aged 102) Hyderabad, Telangana, India |
| Political party | Telugu Desam Party (1988–2022) |
| Other political affiliations | Krishikar Lok Party Swatantra Party (1967-1978) Indian National Congress (1978–1988) |
| Spouse | Alavelu Mangamma |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Andhra Christian College |
A lawyer by profession, he entered active politics from the Krishikar Lok Party. He was first elected as an MLA from the Swatantra Party in 1967 and moved to the Indian National Congress in 1978. He founded Sangam Dairy, a farmers' cooperative, in 1977 and was crucial in establishing Jampani Sugar Factory. Rao joined the Telugu Desam Party in 1988, serving in its highest decision-making body and headed its farmers' division, Telugu Rythu. During his term as an MP, Rao was a member of the committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme.
Early life and education
editYadlapati Venkat Rao was born on 16 December 1919 in Bodapadu village of Amruthalur mandal near Tenali in modern-day Andhra Pradesh. He was schooled at Turumilla. He studied for his B.A. at Andhra Christian College in Guntur before graduating in law in Madras. During his law education, he worked as the president of Andhra Association. He began his career as a lawyer in Tenali in 1945 before moving into active politics in 1962.[1][2][3] He participated in the Indian independence movement.[4]
Career
editEarly political career
editYadlapati Venkata Rao was a follower of N. G. Ranga. He played a crucial role and helped Ranga in establishing the Krishikar Lok Party.[1] He later joined the Swatantra Party. He contested as a candidate from the Swatantra Party and lost as the MLA to the united Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Vemuru constituency in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh in 1962 elections and 1965 by-elections. He later won as the MLA in the 1967 and 1972 elections. In the 1972 elections, he became the sole winner from the Swatantra Party in Coastal Andhra.[5][2]
In 1977, he founded Sangam Dairy in Guntur district, now developed into a farmers' cooperative. He was also the founding president of the organization.[6][7] He also played a crucial role in establishing Jampani Sugar Factory.[1]
Indian National Congress
editIn 1978, Rao joined the Indian National Congress and won as the MLA from Vemuru constituency in the 1978 elections.[7] He was inducted into Marri Chenna Reddy's cabinet and was allotted the ministries of agriculture, law and planning (1978–1980) and headed Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation.[8][1] He was also given an additional charge of Department of Civil Supplies for three months during his tenure.[9]
Telugu Desam Party
editThe Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won the 1983 elections and formed the government, while Rao contested and lost as a Congress candidate against Nadendla Bhaskara Rao. Despite initially rejecting on moral grounds, Rao, upon a request from N. T. Rama Rao in 1983, joined as a member of TDP's Karshaka Parishat, the party's famers' unit, while he was still a member of Congress. This move did not fare well within the Congress party.[10][2][3]
He later heeded a call by N. T. Rama Rao and joined TDP in 1988,[3] resigning from Congress. He worked as a member of TDP's politburo, the highest decision-making body of the party,[11] and as the chairman of Karshaka Parishat[3] and as the president of Telugu Rythu, a frontal organization[12] of the party.[1][6] He contested the 1989 elections and lost as a TDP candidate.[2]
He was elected Guntur Zilla Parishad Chairman (1995–1998) before he was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1998, in which position he continued until 2004.[5] During his tenure, he was a member of the committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme.[13]
Rao retired from active politics in 2004; however, he continued to be a member of the Telugu Desam Party.[5][2]
Personal life and death
editRao married Alavelu Mangamma and had a son and a daughter.[2] He wrote his autobiography titled Naa Jeevina Gamanam (transl. The Course of My Life) in 2011.[1] He turned 100 in December 2019.[14] He died at his daughter's home in Hyderabad, where he spent his later life post his wife's death in 2021,[3] on 28 February 2022, at the age of 102.[15] His last rites were performed at Tenali on 2 March with State honours.[16] Former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and TDP's president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, paid tributes to Rao by recalling his services as a farmer leader.[17]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f P. Samuel Jonathan (15 December 2018). "Yadlapati will turn 100 tomorrow". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Kota, Madhu (28 February 2022). "టీడీపీలో విషాదం.. 102ఏళ్ల సీనీయర్ నేత, మాజీ మంత్రి యడ్లపాటి వెంకట్రావు కన్నుమూత" [Tragedy in TDP.. 102-year-old senior leader, former minister Yedlapati Venkatrao passed away]. News18 Telugu (in Telugu). Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Jonathan, P. Samuel (28 February 2022). "Former TDP MP Yadlapati Venkat Rao dies at 103". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ "Former MP Yadlapati Venkat Rao passes away". The Hindu. 28 February 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ a b c Samdani, MN. "Former Andhra Pradesh minister and Rajya Sabha member Yadlapati Venkatrao dies at 102". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Veteran TDP leader Yadlapati Venkata Rao passes away". Deccan Chronicle. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Yadlapati Venkatarao: టీడీపీ నేత, మాజీ మంత్రి యడ్లపాటి వెంకట రావు కన్నుమూత, 102 ఏళ్ల వయసులో" [Yadlapati Venkatarao: TDP leader and former minister Yedlapati Venkata Rao's eyelid, 102 years old]. telugu.abplive.com (in Telugu). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Yadlapati Venkatarao Passed away: విషాదం.. టీడీపీ సీనియర్ నేత, మాజీ మంత్రి యడ్లపాటి వెంకట్రావు కన్నుమూత" [Yadlapati Venkatarao Passed away: Tragedy.. TDP senior leader, former minister Yedlapati Venkatrao passed away]. Zee News Telugu (in Telugu). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ Vemuri Radhakrishna and Yadlapati Venkata Rao (20 December 2018). TDP Ex-Minister Yadlapati Venkata Rao | Open Heart With RK | Full Episode | ABN Telugu (Television production) (in Telugu). ABN Andhra Jyothi.
- ^ "Yadlapati: పార్టీ మారాలని ఎన్టీఆర్ చెప్పలేదు కదా.. అంగీకరించండి." [Yadlapati: NTR did not say to change party.. Accept the proposal..!]. Eenadu (in Telugu). 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Veteran TDP leader Yadlapati Venkata Rao passes away". The Siasat Daily. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "TDP appoints leaders for its frontal wings". The Hindu. 25 May 2015. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Committee on Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme - 4th Report". Rajya Sabha, Parliament of India. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ VL Syamsundar (16 December 2018). "CM Naidu felicitates Yadlapati Venkata Rao couple". The Hans India. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ "Veteran TDP leader Yadlapati Venkata Rao passes away". The Statesman. IANS. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Last rites of Venkat Rao held with State honours". The Hindu. 2 March 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ Bandari, Pavan Kumar (28 February 2022). "Chandrababu Naidu pays tribute to Yedlapati Venkata Rao in Hyderabad". The Hans India. Retrieved 28 February 2022.