Vijayamma's musings on YSR
Reflecting on many facets of the late Dr.Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's public and private life, his wife and the Honorary President of the YSR Congress Party, Y.S. Vijayamma, spoke about his long and chequered political career and the personal side to his towering personality.
She also recollected his love for the common people, his passion to serve them, his fondness for the Idupulapaya estate and his abiding concern for the suffering and the needy, among many other things.
He dreamt about Jalayagnam even when he was just a student
He understood the problems of the common man simply by looking into their eyes
He went on his state-wide paadayatra determined to meet people and learn about their plight when they were in real trouble. He liked the Idupulapaya esate very much
Role model
We should not live for ourselves, but should always live for the public. This philosophy was ingrained in him. To be honest, he is a role model. He had all the good habits one is expected to have and I cannot pick one from them.He was a good teacher, a good father to his children and a good grandfather. He was a good husband. Last but not the least, he was a great leader.
Fond of old music
Rajasekhara Reddy preferred to listen to old songs. He used to listen to old songs in his free time and while traveling in a a car.With his busy schedule he did not get to watch many films.
My father named him Jagan......
My father had a good understanding of astrology. After studying Jagan's horoscope, he decided to christen him with a name that had J followed by A as the initial letters. He came up with many names like Jagannadha Reddy, Jayasimha Reddy and Jaganmohan Reddy, which was finally chosen.
Jalayagnam was a long-cherished dream
As a student in Gulbarga, the greenery and canals around Bellary, made him think about Jalayagnam. He used to wonder when there would be water for all. The idea of Jalayagnam has its roots in the water needs of the parched Rayalaseema region and Pulivendulla in particular. He liked farmers and agriculture. He cared for them the most and hence he took up Jalayagnam as a major initiative boldly...
Just pass marks
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He gauged problems by looking into people's eyes......
As a CM he used to meet people in Praja darbar. He understood their problems by looking at their eyes. He used to say our eyes alone speak when we are sad or troubled. Almost 60% of the people who would come suffered from health problem or the other. When there was no Arogyasri scheme, he used to help them with money from the CM's relief fund. Often he would give his own money for tickets, clothes and tablets.
He sent money to the people who sent letters to him saying that they did not have the means to take care of their medical expenses.
Estate was his love
Whenever we visited Idupulapaya once or twice in a month, we used to go for a walk together. He would look at the trees in much the same way that a mother would look at a child while the child is growing. We used to wait for the rising sun which looks beautiful between two hills in the estate. He would feel homesick when he didn't visit the estate at times when he was busy.
As CM.....
He became an MLA in 1978. From then, till he became the CM, he did not spend much time with the family. He was always among the common public. But after he became CM, he got to spend some time spend with us. He used to talk for at least half an hour in a day about various things. He would call home every day after dinner to enquire about the children. If the children were up at that hour, they would talk to him over the phone. His love for them was something beyond words. He never scolded them and in fact there were no restrictions from his side as far as they were concerned. But he would tlak to them about discipline and always said that character mattered more than anything . We sent Jagan fabroad or higher studies. I tried to spend my time without seeing my son but he couldn't do so. Even Jagan was the same. He came back from America within a month.
Jagan follows him all the way....
After seeing Rajasekhar Reddy's difficulties and not being able to spend time with family members when he was in power, I asked Jagan why he shouldn't lead a comfortable life simply by taking care of his companies......Why should we have these problems, I asked? Then Jagan replied that his father had dedicated his life to the people. "I would also like follow in his footsteps".
Have three years passed?
It's very difficult to realize the fact that he is no more. People at large would have benefited so much had he been alive. He conceived of so many welfare schemes for the benefit of the poor. Whatever he wanted to do by way of serving the public, he would do without wasting a moment. He always acted on Gandhiji's words that there should not be delay in decision-making when it meant serving the poor. He came to politics in 1978. After 1983, for nearly 21 years he did not hold any major posts. But he was never away from the public. There wasn't a place that he did not visit. He knew the entire state like the back of his hand--he knew which road leads where. He used to remember the smallest of places. He had a phenomenal memory and used to call hundreds of thousands of people by their name. He was away from the home for five days in a week. Even before the remaining two days got over, he would plan for the next week. He had the same amount of love for the public when he was the Chief Minister or when he had no power.
Venkatappa's influence.....
My father in law always moved among the common public even he was not in politics.
There was a teacher named Venkatappa. He did not have children. Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy was brought up in his home and studied there. Venkatappa's had a great influence on YSR. Perhaps, it was owing to him that he stepped into public life with an intention to serve the people. He always used to say that could help only a few people if he continued to be a doctor but in politics he could serve the poor and the needy.. He built a school in the memory of his teacher whose thoughts influenced him.
He felt that the schemes were not percolating down to the public and therefore, started the Rachabanda programme
