George Reddy
George Reddy (15 January 1947 – 14 April 1972) was an Indian student leader and social activist. He was a Gold medallist (PhD) in nuclear physics at Osmania University, Hyderabad.[1][2] His untimely death led to the formation of the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), a student body on the campus of the university that took its name from the "PDS" imprint he had used to publish pamphlets.[2][3]
George Reddy | |
|---|---|
 Reddy in 1971 | |
| Born | 15 January 1947 |
| Died | 14 April 1972 (aged 25) |
| Cause of death | Stab wound |
| Education | MSc in Physics |
| Alma mater | Osmania University |
| Known for | Founding Progressive Democratic Students Union |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Cyril Reddy (brother) Gita Ramaswamy (sister-in-law) |
Biography
He was born in Palghat (now Palakkad) on 15 January 1947, just before India's independence, in the then Madras Presidency. His father Challa Raghunath Reddy was a Telugu from Chittoor, while his mother Leela Varghese was a Malayali from Travancore. They met while studying at the Presidency College, Madras.[4] The family later moved to Andhra Pradesh from where George did his early schooling; at St. Gabriel's High School, Warangal and St. Paul's High School, Hyderabad. He ultimately got his intermediate degree from the Nizam College in Hyderabad.
He was known for his helping nature, and was also a kickboxer.[5]
His enthusiasm for nuclear physics earned him a university gold medal during his postgraduate studies at Osmania University.
His brother Cyril Reddy (died 2016), was also an activist in Hyderabad. A lawyer, Cyril was a part of the legal team led by Bojja Tharakam.[6][7] Cyril's wife, Gita Ramaswamy, is a social activist and writer.[8]
Student politics
Reddy is now primarily known for his promotion of Marxist ideas[3] and his opposition to social discrimination and economic inequality. According to a student friend, he was inspired by "the emerging Black Panthers, started in 1966 in the US, the Vietnamese people's struggle against US imperialism and the peasant uprisings in Naxalbari and Srikakulam."[5]
Reddy was stabbed to death in an attack at his college campus on 14 April 1972.[9]
Reddy's student activist movement was a part of a string of student protests against the Indira Gandhi government during the 1970s in India. After his death other student protests cropped up across the country such as the Navnirman Andolan (Gujarat) and the Bihar Movement. The latter of which lead to The Emergency and eventually to the ouster of the Indira Gandhi government in 1977.[10]
Legacy
- Crisis on the Campus (1971) is a short documentary film directed by Fali Bilimoria.[11][12] In 2012, at an event marking his fortieth death anniversary, the film was premiered and a book titled Reminiscences of George Reddy was released.[5][13]
- Alajadi is a 1990 film by Bharadwaja Thammareddy. The lead character named Ravi, based on Reddy, is played by Bhanu Chander.[14]
- Mani Ratnam's movie, Aaytha Ezhuthu/Yuva was loosely based on his story and Suriya/Ajay Devgan played his character in the respective Tamil and Hindi film versions.[14]
- Jeena Hai To Marna Seekho: The Life and Times of George Reddy by Gita Ramaswamy (Reddy's sister in law), a 152-page book named was published in 2016 by the Hyderabad Book Trust.[13][15]
- George Reddy is a 2019 biopic by B. Jeevan Reddy. Sandeep Madhav portrays George in the film.[16][17][18]
Bibliography
- Kumar, Asvini (2012). Reminiscences of George Reddy.
- Ramaswamy, Gita (2016). Jeena Hai To Marna Seekho: The Life and Times of George Reddy. Hyderabad Book Trust.
References
- "The cult of George Reddy: Meet the forgotten leader". The Indian Express. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- Burgula, Pradeep (14 April 2012). "Keeping the Dream Alive: In Memory of George Reddy". Mission Telangana. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- "George Reddy Remembered". The Hindu. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- "George Reddy: A tribute to an exploding star". Newsmeter. 10 October 2019.
- "PDSU founder George Reddy was AP's Che Guevara". The New Indian Express. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- "Activist Cyril Reddy passes away at his residence in Hyderabad". Deccan Chronicle. 16 December 2016.
- "Guevara of Osmania University: George Reddy". The Hans India. 12 October 2019.
- "Positively GRITTY". The Hindu. 20 September 2012.
- "'George was fearless and continues to be an inspiration'". The Hindu. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- Venkateswaran, Vikram (21 December 2019). "George Reddy to JP: How Student Protests in the 70s Shook Up India". The Quint.
- "CRISIS ON THE CAMPUS (1971)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- "'George was fearless and continues to be an inspiration'". The Hindu. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- Venkateshwarlu, K. (20 February 2016). "Ode to a rebel star". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- "George Reddy's life on celluloid". Telangana Today. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- "Jeena Hai To Marna Seekho: The Life and Times of George Reddy". Goodreads. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
- "Sandeep Madhav, Satyadev Knit the Story of 'Forgotten Leader' in George Reddy". News18.
- "'George Reddy biopic is a tribute to AP's Che Guevara'". Times of India. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- "Student leader George Reddy's life on screen". The Hindu. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.