NEELAMSAROJINI SANJEEVA NAIDU REDDY NEELAM SANJEEVA REDDY Introduction : Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was one of the most valu- able diamonds of Rayalaseema. Presently Rayalaseema comprises with four districts Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool and Chittoor. But originally among these four districts Bellary (which is now in Karnataka) was there

instead of Chittoor. But when the states were formed on the basis of language, Chittoor district was included and Bellary was allocated to Karnataka. Under Brit- ish rule Rayalaseema was called as the Ceded Dis- tricts as these four districts were Ceded to British by the Nizam Government. 3 NEELAMSAROJINI SANJEEVA NAIDU REDDY

After getting Independance to our country, it is being called Rayalaseema which was once ruled by the famous King Sri Krishna Devaraya of Hampi Vijaya- nagar Kingdom. The Rayalaseema is also called ‘Ratnalaseema’ (the place of diamonds.) as it was famous for diamonds in this area especially in ‘Vajra Karur’ and ‘Ramagiri’ in Anantapur District even today. But unfortunatey it is also called as ‘Rallaseema’ (the place of stones. This area has been suffering from poverty. Even now it is true in the Anantapur District. However this district had been very famous in all respects since the reign Sri Krishnadeva Raya. Such is the District of the birth place of Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. Rayalaseema is famous for great poets, politi- cians, dramatists and actors. Among such people, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was born on 13th May 1913 to his parents Neelam Chinnapa Reddy and Subbamma in Illuru of Anatapur district. Chinnapa Reddy came from a rich family of farmers of a large agricultural lands and bulls who was the village Munsif. This family had been respected not only in the village but also in the surrounding villages. Sanjeeva Reddy even though born to a farmer in the village Illuru, in Anantapur district in Rayalaseema, rose step by step to the highest post of Rashtrapati of

4 NEELAMSAROJINI SANJEEVA NAIDU REDDY India due to his efforts. He was associated with great people like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarvepally Radha- krishnan, Morarji Desai, Indira Gandhi and Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu. Chinnapa Reddy was the brother- in-law of Tarimela Subba Reddy who was educated in those days at ‘Rushi Valley’. Childhood : Already we learnt that Sanjeeva Reddy was born on 13th May 1913. This year 1913 has a significance. On that day at Baptla in Andhra the first Andhra Maha Sabha took place under the Presidentship of B.N. Sarma and foundation was laid for a separate Andhra State. Sanjeeva Reddy who was born on the day the found this was laid for a seperate Andhra Pradesh, became the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra State when it came into existence in the year 1953 at Kurnool as its capital. For the separate Andhra state Desabhakta Konda Venkatappayya, Dr. Bhogaraju Pattabhi Seetharamaiah and such other patriots took active part. In Sanjeeva Reddy’s childhood itself at the age of seven he had the opportunity to know something about politics. By then itself, people like Mutnuri Krishna Rao, Cuddapah Koti Reddy, Kalluri Subba Rao and such other political people connected with separate Andhra State, used to visit Illuru and had hospitality of Chinnnapa Reddy, the father of Sanjeeva Reddy.

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