Former MP and senior TDP leader Yadlapati Venkata Rao will celebrate his 100th birthday on Sunday at his residence in Tenali.
Party leaders are making arrangements for the big day.
Born in 1919 at Bodapadu village of Amruthalur mandal near Tenali, Mr. Venkata Rao studied at Andhra Christian College, Guntur, and graduated in law from Chennai.
He began his career as an advocate in Tenali and later entered politics.
Follower of N.G. Ranga
A follower of former MP N.G. Ranga, Mr. Venkata Rao played a major role in establishing the Krishikar Lok Party in the year 1951. He later joined the Swatantra Party founded by C. Rajagopalachari and had been elected twice an MLA from Vemuru Assembly segment. Mr. Venkata Rao joined the Indian National Congress in the year 1978 and served as Minister for Law and Planning in the cabinet of Marri Chenna Reddy. He was given an opportunity to head the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation (APIDC). Responding to the call given by N.T. Rama Rao, he quit the Congress and joined the TDP even before his tenure was to end two years later.
Mr. Venkata Rao headed the district unit of the TDP, worked as its Polit Bureau member and as member of the Karshaka Parishat. He had also served as president of the Telugu Rythu.
The high point came in the year 1998, when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, in which position he continued till 2004.
Autobiography
The efforts of Mr. Venkata Rao in establishing Sangam Milk Dairy and Jampani Sugar Factory were notable. In the year 2011, Mr. Venkata Rao penned his autobiography, “Naa Jeevina Gamanam.”
