Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy

Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy was born on 8 July 1949 into a Christian[19] Reddy middle class family as eldest of five sons [19] at Pulivendula. Rajasekhara Reddy completed his medical studies in Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Gulbarga, Karnataka and served as medical officer at CSI-Campbell Mission Hospital, Jammalamadugu, Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh after completing his studies. In 1973, he established a 70-bed charitable hospital before entering politics.[20] His father, Raja Reddy, was killed in a bomb attack on 23 May 1998.[21][22]

Reddy was married to Vijaya Lakshmi.[23] They had one son, politician Y. S. Jagan Mohan, and one daughter, Y. S. Sharmila.[24][25] Reddy's younger brother Y. S. Vivekananda is also a Congress politician.

Reddy's parents were devout Christians,[19][26] as was Reddy, who was buried according to Christian rites.[27] Reddy visited Bethlehem and other historically important Christian places in Israel twice. He also visited the Hindu temple of Tirupati regularly.[24][28][29]

Reddy entered active politics in 1978 and won the Pulivendula constituency same year and became Minister of State for Rural Development (1980–82), and later shifted to Excise Minister (1982) and Education Minister (1982–83). He continued to retain the same constituency in 1983 and 1985, even when Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao swept to power and the party fared badly in the latter, which saw Indira Gandhi making him State president of the party. He even continued the winning streak for Kadapa constituency for four terms in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Lok Sabha. His return to state politics saw him winning 1999 Assembly elections from same Pulivendula constituency during which he served as Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh State Assembly (1999–2004), but his subsequent winning in 2004 Assembly elections saw him sworn in as 14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh serving full-term. He won 2009 Assembly elections and continued his tenure as 15th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, which was abruptly cut short by his death on 2 September 2009.[20]

Reddy was accused of amassing large amounts of money during his tenure as the Chief Minister.[41] He is said to have used populist schemes like irrigation projects and housing schemes to his advantage and earn huge profits through them.[41][42] In a leaked United States diplomatic cable, the American Consul General quotes that there was "widespread corruption that was beyond the pale even for India".[42][43]

The surrender of more than 650 hectares (1,600 acres) of personal land by Reddy to the government to be compliant with the law in December 2006 was criticised by opposition parties. The opposition parties demanded his resignation for owning the land in violation of the law.[44] N. Chandrababu Naidu also called for Reddy's resignation after a 2007 Khammam police shooting resulted in eight deaths.[45] Despite criticism, he won general and assembly elections and sworn in as Chief Minister again in 2009.

A federal probe of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was also launched to investigate disproportionate assets acquired by his son, Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, in return for favours his father made to the industrialists. In May 2012, the CBI arrested Mopidevi Venkataramana, the then Infrastructure Minister in Reddy's cabinet, who was responsible for unduly assigning the land to a private organisation called VANPIC. This incident called the credibility of Reddy's entire cabinet into question.[46]

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paying homage at the mortal remains of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy

Reddy's Bell 430 helicopter went missing on Wednesday, 2 September 2009 at 9:35 am. Begumpet and Shamshabad air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft at 10:02 am while it was passing through the dense Nallamala forest area.[47] The Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh, P. Ramakanth Reddy, said that inclement weather had forced the helicopter off course.[48][49] Although the sparsely populated forest area is considered to be a stronghold of the outlawed Naxal communist insurgents, the National Security Advisor of India ruled out the possibility of the Naxals bringing down the helicopter.[50]

The Indian Prime Minister's Office confirmed the helicopter's crash on the morning of 3 September, Thursday, and the death of all aboard, namely Reddy, his Special Secretary P. Subrahmanyam, Chief Security Officer A. S. C. Wesley, Group Captain S. K. Bhatia and Captain M. S. Reddy.[51][52] The Director General of Police said that the bodies were charred beyond recognition and had to be identified on the basis of clothing.[53] The autopsy of all the bodies was carried out at Kurnool Medical College.[54]

An investigation eventually concluded that the factors that caused that crash included a problem with the transmission oil pressure system that distracted the crew from the worsening weather for more than six minutes. It was also noted that the pilots of the helicopter never discussed the bad weather, diverting, or returning to base.[55]

Reddy's body was buried on 4 September at Idupulapai in Kadapa district with full state honours in accordance with Christian rites[56][57] by the Church of South India clergy.

• On 8 July 2010, the Government of Andhra Pradesh renamed the Kadapa district as YSR district in honour of Reddy, who was a native of that district.[60][61]
• On 14 Sep 2009, the Andhra Cricket Association renamed ACA-VDCA cricket stadium as Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium .
• In 2020, the Andhra Pradesh Government declared YSR jayanti to be celebrated as Farmer's Day on 8th of July every year.

• Y. S. Sharmila
• Yatra
• Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
• Y. S. Vijayamma

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

• Prasada Reddy, T. Sivarama, ed. (2010). "A Tribute to Y. S. Chinna Konda Reddy" (PDF). An Autobiography of Y. S. Chinna Konda Reddy. Y. S. Prakash Reddy.
• Official website on YSR Congress Party
• Official website of Chief Minister