Marri Chenna Reddy

Early life

Marri Channa Reddy was born to Marri Lakshma Reddy and Buchamma on 13 January 1919 in Siripuram village (presently in marpally mandal), Atraf-i-Balda, Hyderabad State took his MBBS degree in 1941. He was the founder of Andhra Yuvajana Samiti and Students Congress. He was associated with several student, youth, social, educational, literary and cultural organisations, He edited a weekly for about two years and contributed articles to leading dailies and Journals.

Political life

He took active part in the political struggle in the erstwhile Hyderabad State and in 1942 was the General Secretary of Andhra Mahasabha (which was a precursor of the State Congress). In 1946, he became a member of the Standing Committee of the State Congress and General Secretary of Hyderabad City Congress. He was one of the founders and as well General Secretary of the Ideological K.M.P.Group in the Congress. He was General Secretary of the Andhra Provincial Congress Committee for several years and a member of the P.C.C Working Committee for 30 years.

Tenure as Member of Legislature and Parliament

In 1950, Reddy was nominated to the Provisional Parliament and was appointed Whip of Congress Parliamentary Party. He was elected member of the Hyderabad Legislative Assembly in the first General Elections and from 1952–1956 was Minister for Agriculture and Food, Planning_and Rehabilitation in Hyderabad State.As Minister he held the Indian Delegation to the World Conference of Agriculturists held in Rome under the auspices of the F.A.O. in 1953, Subsequently in 1955, he represented India as the Deputy Leader of the Indian Delegation to F.A.O. Conference in Rome.

He was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly again from Vikarabad constituency. During 1957–62, he was a member of the Public Accounts Committee, twice Chairman of the Estimates Committee and Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Regional (Telangana) Development Committee in State Legislative Assemably. In 1962 he was again elected, now from Tandur Constituency, and was Minister for Planning and Panchayat Raj and later for Finance, Commercial Taxes and Industries. In 1967, he was again returned to the Legislative Assembly and was Minister for Finance, Education and Commercial Taxes. He resigned the State Ministry on his appointment as Minister for Steel, Mines and Metals in the Union Cabinet (1967–63). Subsequently in April 1967, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

As Minister for Steel and Mines, he introduced several reforms to improve production and brought about decontrol of distribution of steel and coal. At the invitation of the British Government he visited the U.K for talks on steel industry and other allied matters. He resigned from the Union Cabinet in April 1968.

Role in the First Telangana Movement

Reddy took an active part in several public movements and played a notable role in the split In the Congress Organisation and in the movement for a separate Telangana State. Chenna Reddy became president of the Telangana Praja Samiti, then a popular youth movement so as to politicalise the movement. Accordingly, this movement-turned party, that secured the popular mandate in terms of winning 11 Loksabha seats (out of 14 seats),As head of the movement for separate Telangana, he made a significant contribution in resolving the issue as also in drafting of the Six Point Formula in 1971 which was later incorporated as ' New Deal for Telangana' in the Congress Manifesto when the elections to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly took place in 1972.

Tenure as Governor of Uttar Pradesh

In 1974, Reddy accepted the office of Governor of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous State of the country on a reported personal plea of Indira Gandhi made that she required Reddy's assistance to help her as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh,her home State. However this is widely seen as a reward for ending the Separate Telangana Movement. As Chancellor for the state Universities, he set a practice of conferring Honorary Degrees on great scholars and renowned scientists from others parts of the country, particularly, from the South. He also administered the state when it came under President's rule within 55 days of him taking office.He sought advice from leaders of repute and public men like Nirmal Chandra Chaturvedi, CB Gupta and Ali Zaheer to cleanse the state administration.

Tenure as Chief Minister

He was twice the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Reddy successfully brought the congress party to power on two occasions. He was the Pradesh Congress Committee President. He has also been Governor of Uttar Pradesh (during president rule in the mid-1970s), Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Pondicheri. He was actually the person who created the peace process and eradication of terrorism in Punjab while being the Governor there.

Personal life

Reddy was married to M. Savitri Devi and had two sons and a daughter. His younger son, Marri Shashidhar Reddy was Vice Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with a Union Cabinet status and also a Four time MLA from Sanathnagar.