<In Memorium of George Reddy, a Marxist Ideologue of 70s>Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, Baghlingampally, 6 pm

[Prasanthi Uppalapati]

Hi Birds,

 

Seems he is a very inspiring personality and it would be good to know about him through his friends. A 5 minute video of his speech is also will be presented.

 

Time: 6 pm

Venue: Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, Baghlingampally

--

Thank you.

 

with regards,

PRASANTHI.

tmad.org

http://groups.google.com/group/birdsofsamefeathers

http://prasanthi.wordpress.com

----

When you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.

The more you do, the more you can do.

 

Why should I be neutral. Even my pen has a stand!!

If you want anything, beg of the Lord, leave worldly honors, try to get Lord’s grace and blessings, and be honored in His Court. Do not be deluded by worldly honor. – Sri Shirdi Saibaba

[Prasanthi Uppalapati]

Feel like writing a lot. But as usual time constraint.

 

Fayaz and I attended this programme for an hour and bought two books on him. Read them completely on the same day. Very interesting observations, at least for me. Knowing a little about him made me to read or find out more and more about him. Because it is not about a person called George Reddy but the system during 70s, an urge to understand the immediate past.

 

Interesting Facts about George Reddy:

1. When he was in school (primary), Headmaster punished him to stand outside the class for one period. He was not found there. When enquired him later his reply was that he went to Library instead of wasting time standing outside. This is during his primary school days.

 

2. It is a well known fact that Gandhiji shed his clothes and remained a half-naked fakir (as he famously called by Western Leaders) to be in unison with the poorest of the poor in India. George Reddy stopped eating two meals a day to understand the plight of the poor students, the last two years of his life. Even when his friends offered to provide him food, he politely declined and suggested him to feed the poor if he is so concerned about the hunger.

 

3. My father told me that Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was so brilliant a student that he used to write answers for all questions in the exam and left the option of the choice to evaluators to give marks to the answers of their choice. George Reddy is equally brilliant (if not more) that the evaluator from Bombay University came to Osmania and appreciated/admired him like anything. The evaluator never found such answers (simplifying the dry nuclear physics equations... there was no text to explain but only the equations). In fact, he mentioned that India's great scientist is rooted in Osmania.

 

4. Academically George Reddy was a Gold Medalist in Nuclear Physics. He used to spend hours together in Osmania Library. He is a voracious reader and he was very much inspired by Ernesto Che Guvera. He got offers from many prestigious institutions but he refused them all as his focus was to change and fight the system. All his Professors, contemporaries and juniors say that if he was not involved in the campus politics and left wing idealogy, if he continued his research, he would have won Noble Prize.

 

5. He was fearless. To quote a few... he jumps into a river despite being warned about a crocodile living there. He argues with military people and got seats for him and his friends (when the entire train is filled with the military people)

 

6. There were attempts on him many times and he saved himself. He was a boxer and good at fighting and self protection. He was also involved in many cases/incdients on campus.

 

7. Such a genious, friendly, fearless and concerned Indian was killed at the age of 25. 25 is too small an age to be killed but he achieved a lot in such a small age and remained an inspirations for students of generation after generation.

 

8. April 14, 2012 - it was 40th death anniversary. He was killed on April 14, 1972. Still he is being remembered fondly and he continues to inspire people. Seems PDSU (Progressive Democratic Students Union) is his brain child, though the name is different.

 

9. Tammareddy Bharadwaja, famous producer, is his contemporary in Osmania University. The day George was killed, Bharadwaja was with him till afternoon and he was the one who dropped him at the Library as per George's wish. When Bharadwaja warned him to be careful, his reply was as usual that "kyaa kartaa hai re... kyaa hogaa... kuch bhee nahee"!!

 

10. Any person who comes into contact with George Reddy seems to be mesmerized by him so much that they consider him as India's or Osmania's Che Guvera.

 

11. Seems Bharadwaja had directed a movie called Alajadi with three Characters.. George, Siril (George's Brother) and himself (Bharadwaj). He mentioned that he killed all the responsible people in his movie which he couldn't do in real life.

 

12. Ashwin, who wrote one of the books on George, mentioned that Maniratnam sent his people to collect info. about George and can you guess the movie... it is Yuva and Surya's character seems to be inspired by George. But Ashwin mentioned that he was greatly disappointed after watching the movie as it didn't turn out to be what he shared or expected. (I didn't watch this movie but feel like watching some time)

 

Now let us discuss about other facts:

 

As per his friends, he was killed by ABVP and RSS. This was due to the fact that he has become a hero among the students and was the reason for their loss of control over college affairs.

 

Never I had any negative opinion on RSS despite the anti-propoganda on them. The founders of the school where I studied are members of RSS but they never taught us anything about RSS or its ideology. Whatever they taught was about our freedom struggle and how we achieved Independence and how so many of our forefathers sacrificed their lives and suffered many hardships to get us the freedom. They never spoke a word against Gandhiji but always spoke high of him.

 

The college that I studied Intermediate is founded by a BJP person (Acharya Aditya). He never spoke anything about politics nor about any party in college. If at all he speaks with us anything other than the subject he teaches, it is about our great legacy. He always used to say "Cheyetti Jai Kottu Telugoda, Gatamento Ghana Keerthi Kalavaada". He also used to say that "There is no use if we say... maa taatalu netulu taagaaru... maa muutulu vaasana choodandi".

 

If George Reddy is a patriot and if RSS is a patriot, why was there a clash between them and am still not able to digest the fact that RSS is involved in murders. I do not have any idea or opinion about ABVP.

 

If we observe the very recent incident in Osmania, (whether or not we support Beef festival), one of the organizers, Mr. Ramulu (if I remember the name properly) has received serious injuries. ABVP complained against the Beef festival to VC and staged a dharna. So far... for me Osmania is the core and nerve center for Telangana Movement. Never thought beyond it. PDSU (which was formed after George's murder), supports the beef festival and its organizers.

 

Am wondering and struggling to understand the power of caste and caste politics!! May be it is a hard reality and no matter what we talk or think, when it comes to power or voting, it is all that matters neither development nor ideology has any place.

 

Curious to know the faces behind the names that I read in the books on George Reddy. The doctor who is associated with JP in their proposed new health programme is Dr. Srikanth Reddy (or Srinath Reddy). George Reddy used to support and receive backing from one Mr. Raghunath Reddy (a Congress Party MP) and in that connection George visited Nellore too to campaign for Raghunath Reddy and son of Dr. Raghunath Reddy was Srikanth/Srinath Reddy who is a Cardiologist.  I wonder if the person is one and the same.

 

Similarly among the friends of George, there is a name... Majar. I am curious to know if he is the Majar Hussain of COVA.

 

Feel like going to Osmania once and to the Library and want to see the chair on which he used to sit.

 

Thinking of getting an appointment of Bharadwaj garu and want to know about the then prevailing system in the University. If he asks me what I will do by knowing all this... I do not have any answer. It is only an urge to understand the politics... politics of power, politics of caste.

 

Other thoughts:

 

I was going to Nellore on 14th and during the journey I completed reading those books. All the while there were many thoughts. If we need to sum up all the problems and were asked to zero in on one source/root cause of all them ... what would it be... !! In my opinion it is greediness. If we religiously follow Simple Living and the living of our forefathers... life of contentment, may be most of our problems... the corruption might vanish.

 

To follow simple living, spiritual base is necessary. I do not understand why people who oppose and deny the existence of god, were convinced so. The communists claiming religion as an intoxicant. Sri Ekkirala Bharadwaja, read books on almost all religions and wrote a book, "Why Religion?" "Matam Emduku".

 

With the so-called intelligentsia claiming to be the followers of particular religions, distort the facts and derive their own definitions. If anyone has the privilege of the company of realized souls or determined seekers, one can understand what religion is and why it is required.

 

I know am jumping from one topic to another... but this is the direction in which my thoughts are leading me to. Earlier I had confusion on the cause that I need to stick on to... now I think am slowly getting clarity... it would be none other than simple living. We should glorify simple living as such that it should be a matter of pride like how it is now to wear Reebok Shoes, to drink Coco Cola/Pepsi, to eat Pizzas and Burgers, to visit discotheques, multiplexes and malls.

 

Not sure how many more months (if not years), it is going to take for me to completely switch over to the simple living of my definition but sharing thoughts aloud would definitely help and act as a catalyst to move in the direction of our interest.

[Prasanthi Uppalapati]

Forgot to mention:

 

One of the reasons for the interest to talk to Bharadwaj garu or to know more about George is to analyze the facts. I have this tendency of believing everything that I read or heard to be true. Slowly am trying to change, take a step back and trying to think from a different perspective.

 

During my graduation, I read a book (which is actually a human rights report on Kashmir - 96-99) and started to think.. if Kashmir belongs to India or is it bound to be a unique state not belonging to either India or Pakistan. I kept this thought before my uncle (who almost beat me up but ended up in scolding me) and my friend claimed rather exclaimed that because there would be people like me governmens across the world ban books. It took a while for me to come out of it.

 

Later there was a kind of great uneasiness and discomfort after reading the book "Oka Dalari Paschattapam" which was a translation of "The Confessions of an American Hitman". I could neither sleep nor eat properly for days together. There was gloominess all around and an urge to do something and eagerness to find out if there is any way out or solution to save ourselves from the clutches of US. After much thought what I felt was to distribute the book free of cost to colleges and to people of different walks of life and organize a meeting wherein people can share their views. Organized one meeting in Nellore (but it was a great disappointment at that time as nothing came out of it).  During that period I was working in Nokia and when I shared this with our Site Manager, Sai Gollapudi (who is a great social worker and a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba), made the famous comment "It is a glorious timewaste".... he also mentioned that whatever that was written in the book is completely one sided and instead of believing everything that was written, I should start to analyze and think if it is true.

 

At last, I managed to get that "taking a step back and re-think" attitude during Telangana issue. Read some docs shared by our friends and after reading it all... the first feeling was "isn't it exaggerated and was it all true". This is not because I wish for a United AP but in general. I do not deny that there might be facts but at the same time... the issue has been blown out of proportion, in my view.

 

So instead of framing an opinion or before taking a stand... want to read more and understand more. Started reading Che Guvera and bought books on Marx and Stalin too. I know it would be very boring for me to read about Marx (as I feel I might not understand Communism... so far... the word, Buurjuva..., is Greek and Latin for me, which I have been reading ever since I started reading News. Whenever I read any columns by communists specially the ones with argument and counter arguments, I feel they fight over definitions rather than over the issues.)

 

 

 

--

Thank you.

 

with regards,

PRASANTHI.

tmad.org

http://groups.google.com/group/birdsofsamefeathers

http://prasanthi.wordpress.com

----

When you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.

The more you do, the more you can do.

 

Why should I be neutral. Even my pen has a stand!!

If you want anything, beg of the Lord, leave worldly honors, try to get Lord’s grace and blessings, and be honored in His Court. Do not be deluded by worldly honor. – Sri Shirdi Saibaba

[Usha Sharma-Charya]

Prasanthi
I salute your honesty, integrity and courage . You are not afraid of doing the right thing and standing by your principles. You work unselfishly for the greater good. For that I applaud you. You are a shining example to others
Best Wishes
usha

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "birdsofsamefeathers" group.
To post to this group, send email to birdsofsa...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to birdsofsamefeat...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/birdsofsamefeathers?hl=en.

--
 

 
 Sent via DroidX2 on Verizon Wireless™
 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please visit The JJ Metta Memorial Foundation website http://www.thejjmettafoundation.org

[harish chinthi]

thanks prashanthi garu for a wonderful description on george reddy and for ur thoughts , very informative..

i wish some more her share their experiences/ information on these issues

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "birdsofsamefeathers" group.
To post to this group, send email to birdsofsa...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to birdsofsamefeat...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/birdsofsamefeathers?hl=en.

--

Regards,
Harish
sahasra-foundation.blogspot.com