Eminent academician and founder of Vani Nikethan educational institutions Cheeti Ayodhya Rama Rao passed away at the age of 84 at his residence in Mukarampura locality in Karimnagar town on Friday morning.
Born in Vedira village in Ramadugu mandal on July 21, 1937, Mr. Rama Rao is brother of senior Congress leader and former MP and former minister M Satyanarayana Rao. Mr Rama Rao was the first person to start a private school in Karimnagar in the year 1968 with 45 students.
He completed his PG from Osmania University in 1961 and got a job as accountant in the State Legislative Assembly. However, he quit his job and started the first private educational institution in Karimnagar in the year 1968 with nominal fees for the benefit of all sections of society. Now the Vani Nikethan educational institutions offer education from KG to PG in Karimnagar town with an enrolment of 4,000 students. He is survived by his wife and three daughters. His last rites would be performed on Sunday at Irukulla crematorium after the arrival of his son-in-law and granddaughter from USA.
The Vani Nikethan alumni include Minister for Finance T. Harish Rao, Minister for BC Welfare and Civil Supplies Gangula Kamalakar, former deputy speaker Padma Devender Reddy, Legislative Council whip Bhanuprasad Rao, former MLC T. Santosh Kumar, High Court judge Naveen Rao and several others.
Last year, the Vani Nikethan educational institutions celebrated its golden jubilee on a grand scale wherein former governor ESL Narasimhan appreciated the services of Mr. Rama Rao. The alumni had also felicitated him on the occasion.
Maharashtra former Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, Lok Satta voluntary organisation president N. Srinivas, TRSMA State president Y Shekhar Rao, correspondents of various educational institutions, others paid condolences to the bereaved family members. TPCC working president Ponnam Prabhakar expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members. In a statement, he said that Mr Rama Rao had transformed the educational scenario in Karimnagar district by setting up Vani Nikethan educational institutions.
