The Venkaiah I knew

Soft-spoken and unassuming, Venkaiah Naidu is a gifted orator, known for his unimpeachable integrity as a political leader. I remember how he used to drop in frequently for a friendly cup of tea in the afternoons, when I was serving as the Registrar of Cooperative Societies of Andhra Pradesh state in the middle eighties.

It was those during those years that Naidu spearheaded the rebellion against the short–lived Nadendla Bhaskara Rao government by taking away, along with N Chandrababu Naidu, the majority of Members of the Legislative Assembly to "camp" in other places in the country to prevent them from being bought over.

Our acquaintance was renewed when I served as an Additional Secretary in the Department of Land Resources of the Ministry of Rural Development of which he was the Minister. Naidu sent me to his constituency, Udayagiri in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, to inspect a mosque and other works and structures under construction and repair.

By that time, with the passage of time, he had given up his habit of indulging in good food. He used to be, as others have described him, a 'foodie!' He would tell me that his doctors had said that he had already had enough food and drink to last a whole life!

I duly made the visit, and returned with an integrated master plan supported with a statement showing the funds required for the purpose.It was that experience which gave me a first-hand exposure to the manner in which he was brought up in that area. The visit and the experience also strengthened the bonds of understanding between the two of us.

Venkaiah Naidu also championed the cause of rural India by highlighting and sensitising the country to the fact that the rural areas of the country had been denied many things the rest of the country took for granted.

According to him there was, in a manner of speaking, a "rural urban divide"to be addressed that spanned across many sectors such as communications, education, health and medical servicesand other basic amenities like drinking water, roads and housing.

He has proved to be a worthy product of the glorious tradition of the Telugus, and richly deserves the position which now beckons to him.Not only the Telugu speaking states but the entire country rejoices at this event.

One confidently expects that he will spare no effort in contributing to thebetterment of the quality of life of the backward areas of the country, the excluded sections of society and the hithertoneglected like sectors of the Indian economy.

Onealso feels surethat his efforts will prove to be a boon to the farming community of the country which, for long years, has been facing untold misery, and is awaiting the healing touch of a kind hand. The fact that he belongs to a family with a legacy of a rich tradition of farming will undoubtedly help him in that regard.

All in all, he is a colourful character, lovable and charismatic, and famous for his crisp one-liners. The one I recall most is "bottle, bus and batta" as being the most important requirements for gathering the crowd for a political public meeting!

It is therefore that much of a greater pleasure for us to see him being elevated to such a high office at a young age. The prospect augurs well for the country indeed! Godspeed, Venkaiah garu! (Writer is former Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh)

By Mohan Kanda