My Views My Country

Full name: Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy

Age: 60, born July 8, 1949, at Pulivendula

Family background: YSR’s grandfather moved to Pulivendula in 1933 and bought land there. His father Y S Raja Reddy became a locally influential figure. He was murdered by rivals in 1998. Mother Jayamma served as a panchayat president for a term. Four brothers and one sister.

Education: High school at St John’s Bellary, Plus Two at Loyola College, Vijayawada, MBBS at MR Medical College, Gulbarga. Internship at Tirupati SV Hospital.

Work: First job as medical officer at the Church of South India Campbell Hospital, Jammalamadugu under the guidance of an aunt.

Reading: Avid reader. Favourite book is Godfather. Loves to read biographies.

Student politics: President of the students’ union in medical college. Later became president of the House Surgeons Union at S V Medical College, Tirupati.

Why he came to politics: Dad Raja Reddy was a major political figure in Kadapa district. YSR nurtured political ambitions since college days. After a brief stint at a mission hospital in Jammalamadugu and setting up a 70-bed hospital in Pulivendula, he turned to full time politics.

Political inspiration: Indira Gandhi. Deeply influenced by her during her socialist phase. Impressed by her ‘Garibi Hatao’ slogan, nationalisation of banks and cancellation of privy purses.

First electoral experience: Ran for the Assembly from Pulivendula in 1978 at the age of 28. Trounced D Narayana Reddy of the Janata Party by 20,000 votes.

Political mentor: Father Y S Raja Reddy.

Strongest political act: Sat on a hunger strike at the MLAs’ hostel when an agitation against the power tariff hike was at its peak. Going on a padayatra of drought-hit districts in the high summer of 2003 to highlight the people’s plight. That yatra made him the tallest leader in the AP Congress today.

Political style: Very combative on the floor of the Assembly, but very mild on other public fora. He is not tempted to make public insults and clever one-liners. Sticks to the Congress line at public meetings. Rarely gets angry in public, and appears relaxed.

Political ideologies: Never seduced by right-wing rhetoric. Welfarist to the core. Cares little for media hosannas.