Glowing tribute to a teacher 

Dachuri Rami Reddy, a teacher, an exceptional teachers’ leader and more so a committed legislator passed away recently. Having worked with him for decades in the teachers movement and later in the united State Legislative Council, I found in him exceptional qualities this generation of teachers should emulate.

The present generation of teachers in both the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, though, may not be so aware of the services rendered by such frontline leaders of the teachers movement; but, they enjoy the benefits accrued due to the unrelenting struggles of leaders like D Rami Reddy.

At a time when political corruption reached its peak, Rami Reddy rejected the land offered to the legislators by the State government to uphold the values in public life. Though steeled in the fiery furnace of teachers’ struggles, Rami Reddy remained steadfastly simple and selfless in his work. His admirable love for teachers and activists alike won him laurels in the teachers movement.

Rami Reddy was not just a founding pillar of Andhra Pradesh United Teachers Federation (APUTF), but also the founding general secretary of School Teachers’ federation of India (STFI). His unparallel simplicity in personal life is evident from the fact that he used to wash his own clothes and clean his plate.

With a bag on his shoulder, he toured the nook and corner of the then united Andhra Pradesh. He was the obvious choice to be the floor leader of Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) comprising legislators elected from graduates and teachers constituencies, for which I had the privilege of being the Chairman.

His unflinching commitment to public education made him fight for the standards and facilities in government schools. He voiced concerns of teachers while defending the need for universal public education in the Legislative Council during his two terms. Even in the Council, he believed to be in the school. School and its concerns were always high on his agenda.

Not just a representative of teachers, he was committed to progressive change in society. This philosophical commitment to the cause of the toiling masses made him represent the issues of all working sections in the Legislative Council. He never used his public stature for his personal gains. Strict discipline in both personal and public life were the unique characteristics of Rami Reddy’s personality.

Despite extensive travel, he never used to stay in a hotel but preferred to stay in a teacher’s home. In his early days as a teacher, Rami Reddy was an active participant in social reform movement. As a teacher, he stayed in the village where the school was located. He mingled with local people and ran adult literacy camp in the village after the school hours.

The teachers can only pay a real tribute to the life and works of D Rami Reddy by defending schools in government sector to ensure people’s right to education.

By Chukka Ramaiah