illindala saraswatee dEvi 1916 - 1998
Venkateswara rao Veluri
1916 - 1998
Illindala saraswatee dEvi died on friday July 31, 1998. Telugus have a lost one
of the great souls that pioneered women's social reforms in Andhra pradesh.
SaraswatI dEvi was married to sItarama Rao at the age of twelve in Nandigaama
and moved to Hyderabad with her husband. Normally one would expect in those days
for a middle class woman to have children, take care of the household and just
remain a house wife. And, she did. In addition, she was able to do a number of
things that has modernized the lives of middle class women, Hindu women in
particular, in Hyderabad. And, she will be remembered for this pioneering work.
She joined the Stanley Girls High School and studied for four years. Then,
became a mother to her first child and could not graduate. That did not deter
her. She has actively participated in the activities of the Andhra Mahila Sabha
as a student, and later with the assistance of Yallapragada Sitakumari started
Andhra Yuvatee Mandali.For over 12 years she recruited, encouraged and worked
hand in hand with Telugu young women to become involved in Social Welfare
activities. During that time, she was instrumental in improving condition of
jails, hospital care, child welfare etc. Today, the Andhra Yuvatee Mandali has
its own buiding and continues social work.
She started writing in 1933. She wrote short stories, essays, plays both for the
the print media and for the radio. She always wrote with a message, a social
message in mind. She never wrote as " art's for art's sake." Amazing and a
little different for her times!!
Her writings have been collected into volumes such as, naaree agattu, velugu
baaTalu, akkaraku vaccina cuTTaM, mutyaala manasu, panDaga bahunmatulu, jaati
ratnaalu, baala veerulu, etc.
Coming form a Brahmo Samaj family( her mother venkata lakshmamma was a Brahmo
leader), she has inherited all that's good and made better of it!
She leaves behind four children, three daughter and a son and a lot of memories
or the Andhra Yuvatee Mandali.Our sincere condolences to her immediate family at
their bereavement.
Regards.
Venkateswara Rao Veluri
ps: One of her daughters Dr. Chitra Nadimpalli, an active member of the India
Literacy Project, lives in the Chicago suburbs. Chitra has lost her husband
Colonel Dr. Nadimpalli Venkatramayya, a few months ago! ILP shares her grief and
sends its condolences to Chitra and her family.
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