In his thirties, social activist B. Kondal Reddy has arguably met all the families of the farmers who have committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the last five years.
Mr. Reddy has been extending a helping hand to the distressed families through various means, including fighting for compensation from the State government.
This monsoon, Mr. Reddy has taken up a challenge to run five kilometres to raise funds for widows of farmers and farm families in distress in the Telugu-speaking States.
“My run for farmers is one of the ways through which I can support the farming community. I have already started training for the run to be undertaken between Hitech City and Gachibowli in Hyderabad on August 25,” he told The Hindu. His 10-year-old son Sai Reddy will take also part in the campaign.
Hailing from Kurnool district, Mr. Kondal Reddy, who earlier worked for the welfare of child labour, has been championing the cause of farmers since 2007.
Highlighting the issue
Nalgonda-based Gramya Resource Centre for Women is helping the activist identify the beneficiaries.
“The concept is not new in India and I feel it is the best way to draw the attention of society to the issues of farmers,” said Mr. Kondal Reddy who documented farmer suicides in Krishna district in 2017.
Those who wish to donate could visit the page https://letzchange.org/campaigns/me-and-my-10-year-old-son-sai-running-in-support-of-farmers-kondal-reddy.