Brave son of India yet to get befitting tributes

A majority of the people in Karimnagar district, especially the youth, are not aware of the sacrifices made by Capt Bonala Vijaya Raghunandan Rao, the first Vir Chakra awardee from the State who laid down his life for the cause of the nation in the 1965 Indo-Pak War. Successive governments at the Centre and in the State have failed to give him the recognition that he deserved. A memorial meeting is being held in Karimnagar today to observe his 50th death anniversary

Karimnagar: Thursday, September 17, would mark the 50th anniversary of the supreme sacrifice made by a brave soldier from Telangana. It was on this day in 1965 that Bonala Vijaya Raghunandan Rao, a Captain in Gorkha Rifles, breathed his last while fighting with rival troops during the India-Pakistan war.

Rao died just six hours before the war ended. He was awarded the Vir Chakra posthumously by the President of India.Though his statue has been erected near R&B Guest House in Karimnagar town, nothing has been done to keep his memories alive. No efforts were made to tell the younger generation about the valiant soldier from Karimnagar all these years.

A majority of the people in the district, especially the youth, are not aware of the sacrifices made by Raghunandan Rao. Successive governments at the Centre and in the State failed to give him the recognition that he deserved. He was the first Vir Chakra awardee from the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and Gorkha Rifles battalion.

In recognition of his services and sacrifice, a road from the IB Guest House to the Civil Hospital in Karimnagar town was named after him and a new village “Vijayanagaram” was also developed on the Sircilla-Bonala Road.

In an effort to keep his memories alive, on the occasion of 50th death anniversary of Rao, the Vijaya Raghunandan Rao Memorial Committee under the aegis of Spurthi voluntary organisation has decided to pay homage to the late Captain on Thursday at a programme wherein District Superintendent of Police D Joel Devis will be the chief guest. Spurthi has also decided to felicitate the family members of the Captain on the occasion.

Though the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government remained indifferent and neglected him, the Telangana State government has decided to include a chapter on his name in the VII class Telugu text book (second language) in its new syllabus – ‘Garvinchadagga Telangana Bidda Capt Vijaya Raghunandan Rao’ on page number 115 in the text book.

The first Vir Chakra awardee from the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and from Telangana, the Captain was born on August 5, 1939, in Bonala village in Sircilla Taluq. He pursued his school education in the village and shifted to Hyderabad for higher education. He completed matriculation in Chaderghat High School and Intermediate in Nizam College. He did his LL B in Osmania University.

In the year 1962, he topped the list in South India in the Joint Services Wing selection test. Bonala Krishna Rao, elder brother of Captain Raghunandan, recalls: “He was always interested in Defence services. The school authorities initially said he was small in size but we encouraged him to build his body.

A stint at Hanuman Vyayamshala helped and he went on to shine.” Rao was commissioned in the Army on December 1962. He got promoted to Captain’s position by rendering services at different levels. On September 17, 1965, he was wounded badly by an enemy shell and he lost his life. In 1966, he was awarded the Vir Chakra posthumously.

In the year 2000, when a bronze statue was unveiled by the then Defence Minister George Fernandez in Karimnagar, the then Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, urged him to set up an Army recruitment centre in Karimnagar. But the centre has not seen the light of the day.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Wednesday, Spurthi Chairman Jaganmohan Rao said that as a mark of respect to the late soldier, they installed his statue in Karimnagar and have been organising programmes regularly at the site of the statue for the past 17 years.

Krishna Rao recalled that while unveiling the statue, George Fernandez had assured the people that the Centre would set up an Army recruitment and training centre in Karimnagar town, but it did not happen.

Former MLA K Devender Rao rued that the youth were in the dark about the sacrifices made by Captain Vijaya Raghunandan Rao. He said that it was important that they draw inspiration from brave souls like Capt. Vijaya Raghunandan Rao.

By Raghu Paithari