When he was 18, Udugula Rama Rao, a freedom fighter who hails from Guduru village in Krishna district, had accompanied the Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, during the latter’s visit to Machilipatnam on December 12, 1933. In his 80s now, Mr. Rama Rao continues his campaign across the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States on different means of transportation to spread the feeling of brotherhood among all citizens and importance of tri-colour in freedom struggle.
He had designed his own dress code with Indian national flag and easily can be identified as he carries a six-foot national flag in hand. He mostly spends his life touring in the state and joins with all quarters of public life to pick up a discussion over ‘the state of India after the independent struggle’.
“Like many who joined the freedom struggle in Andhra Province, I too experienced the prison life as a part of our struggle for freedom. However, Mahatma’s visit to Machilipatnam has added fuel to our movement”, Mr. Rama Rao told The Hindu during his bus journey to Vijayawada. He worked in Prakasam Barrage construction project between 1954 and 1957 as foreman and served in the Public Works Department for nearly four decades.
“I have decided to dedicate my post-retirement life to interact with more and more citizens, particularly youth and school students and explain them how the tri-colour flag helped India to became an Independent nation”, he added. Going down the memory lane of his times as a young freedom fighter, he had expressed his deep grief about the death of a few freedom fighters in Krishna district in recent years.
“Hardly there are less than half dozen freedom fighters are alive in Krishna district. However, I have strongly made up my mind to keep interaction with my fellow citizens till I breath the last,” said Mr. Rama Rao who strictly wanted to be photographed while he was saluting the national flag, in a moving bus.
