R. Krishnaiah

:"This article is related to Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes leader, Ryaga Krishnaiah"

Ryaga Krishnaiah(b. 13 January, 1954), well known as R. Krishnaiah is a leader of Andhra Pradesh Backward Castes fighting from the last 35 years for the rights of Backward Classes and their upliftment in standard of living through reservations in politics, education, and law. He led the protestations along with agitations and fought not only with government of Andhra Pradesh but also with Central Government of India, private educational institutes managements in Andhra Pradesh either through strikes, processions, protestations, boycotting the colleges, hunger strikes, fast-unto-death protests and legally in state level High Courts and Supreme Court of India. He also fought for social justice, reservations in schools and colleges along with scholarships for poor students to pursue education in junior, degree and university colleges. He also fought with success for the reservations in village and mandal level elections for backward classes.

He never craved for the publicity of his achievements and lately fought with success for making the Andhra Pradesh state government in sponsoring the tution fees in private educational institutes for the poor students belonging to the Backward Castes. To fight for the rights of poor backward classes he did not accept the lucrative job offer when he stood topper in Bankers Examinations after his graduation and politely declined the offer of member of Rajya Sabha by major political parties.

Personal Details

R.Krishnaiah was born in rich landlord and agriculture profession family possessing 140 acres of fertile land on January 13,1954 in Rallagudipally village of RR district of Andhra Pradesh to Sri.Adivappa and Smt.Ramulamma. His lost his mother when he was 12 years old and his father when he was 17 years old.

He later married Smt.Shabari Devi and blessed with a son Rushi Arun(M.B.B.S) and a daugther Rani Swetha Devi(B.Tech).

He did his Bachelors in Commerce(B.Com) and then finished his L.L.B, L.L.M in 1982, M.A in 1984 , and M.Phil from Osmania University at Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

Leadership Profile

R.Krishnaiah initially got elected as a President of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Castes Hostels Student Union in 1972 to lead the students for their rights and demands in the hostels.

He got elected as a Students Leader when he was pursuing his graduation in 1973 and continued that till 1989 with his hostel room as his office. During that tenure he led several agitations for the social justice, system with equal rights and college student demands with cent percent success. Till 1976 he was the leader of the college students belonging to Osmania University. In 1977 he was elected as the state level President fighting for the rights of poor students belonging to Backward Castes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes and continued this till 1987.

He is currently acting as a President of Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes welfare association, President of Andhra Pradesh Unemployed Sangarshana Samithi and editor of B.C Garjana magazine.

Accomplishments

R.Krishnaiah fought for welfare of Backward Castes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, unemployed issues without the help of politicians and their political parties. His honesty in leading the issues and taking them to the government with successfull results made him the de-facto leader in leading the economically backward sections of the society. Today backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes are enjoying the current fruits of scholarships in colleges, thousands of separate hostels, residential colleges, implementation of reservation in schools, colleges and jobs as a result of his leadership in fighting for the rights of poor, oppressed and weaker sections of the society. These protests under his leadership also enabled his dream of making the weaker and economically backward sections of the society to take up expensive education who cannot afford.

* From 1976 because of leading the agitations for a separate hostel for every high school, government of andhra pradesh has started 300 to 500 new hostels for every year. Currently there are more than 5000 hostels for backward classes, scheduled tribes and castes utilized by more than 500,000 students with free food in the hostels. He also successfully lead the agitations for providing scholarships for poor students in junior colleges, degree colleges, and university colleges which were not there before 1976. His fights also resulted in constructing more than 600 residential colleges all over the andhra pradesh for the welfare of weaker and oppressed sections of the society.

* In 1980 he successfully fought and lead the agitations for the implementation of reservations in private engineering colleges of andhra pradesh. To prevent him from fighting, private engineering colleges management tried to lure him by offering 15 lakhs of indian rupees which he rejected upfront.

* In 1996 he fought for the reservation in mandal parishad, Zilla Parishat, municipal elections. He made the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh N.T. Rama Rao to concede for 20% reservation for backward classes.

* From 1989 to 1993 he fought for reservations in village panchayat sarpanchs for backward classes. As a result of this government conceded to provide 34% reservations for backward classes sarpanchs.

* In 1990 he successfully lead the protestations and strikes in Andhra Pradesh for the implementaion of Mandal Commission recommendations. This in fact, brought him into limelight of national level leaders. From then, he can submit anytime a memorandum or recommendation on behalf of backward classes of Andhra Pradesh to the state government politicians, officials, national level ministries including offices of Prime Minister and President of India.

* in 1996 he led the Sarpanchs of Andhra Pradesh villages for specific check power rights by taking dharnas(protestations through processions) to Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh. As a result of this, the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh nodded to their demands successfully.

* He also fought and lead the strikes in banning single number lotteries in Andhra Pradesh, successfull implementation of reservations for sarpanchs of andhra pradesh villages, and fought legally to stop the construction of Almatti Dam construction for the welfare of andhra pradesh people.

* Because of his fights from the last 35 years there were more than 2000 Government Orders(G.O)s were introduced by the government. He mainly fought and took the issues to the concerned departments/authorities related to various issues of backward classes welfare , social justice, tribal community issues, medical, public health issues, education, colleges/universities issues, revenue and panchayat raj related issues.

Current Protestations

* Currently he is fighting for 50% reservation for Backward Classes in judiciary(including civil courts, district courts, sessions courts , and high court of andhra pradesh).

* He is leading the agitations for the implementation of 50% reservation for politicians in Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh and member of Parliament of India through Andhra Pradesh. He is starting an agitation similar to that of Gujjar protestations to be included in Scheduled Castes.

* He is fighting for the implementation of Nachiyappan commission recommendations with the central government.

* He is fighting for avoiding Muslims, Kapu, Telaga, Balija and Ontari castes to be included in current Other Backward Castes list without increasing the current quota of reservations for Backward Castes.

* He is fighting for BC act similar to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 to prevent attrocities against backward castes.

* He is also fighting for increase of reservation quota from 27% to 50% due to addition of another 20 castes into existing 92 castes of backward castes.

References

* http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/12/stories/2005081210770400.htm
* http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/11/stories/2007081154300400.htm
* http://www.newindpress.com/election/2004/News.asp?Topic=-305&Title=Andhra+Pradesh+Campaign+Reports&ID=IEU20040511021701&nDate=5/11/2004&Sub=-95&Cat=&
* http://news.oneindia.mobi/2008/01/28/545181.html
* http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/02/07/stories/2002020700850400.htm
* http://www.goudsinfo.com/famouspersons.htm