File Photo: Veteran Telangana activist Dr Kolluri Chiranjeevi
Hyderabad: Dr Kolluri Chiranjeevi, who participated in the first and second phase of Telangana Statehood movements, passed away at a private hospital here on Monday following a brief illness. He was 74. Chiranjeevi is survived by wife and daughter.
Besides being a staunch Telangana movement advocate, Dr Chiranjeevi took part in several social movements in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. As an MBBS student at Kakatiya Medical College, he led the students in the 1969 Telangana movement. Later, he worked with Peoples War Group (the Maoist Party) and was also closely associated with Bahujan Samajwadi Party founder Kanshi Ram in the Dalit movement.
Chiranjeevi served as convener of Telangana Movement Founders’ Forum and played a key role in the second phase of Telangana movement led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. He also worked as a social activist towards welfare of the poor and the weaker sections.
Recently, Dr Chiranjeevi was admitted to a private hospital after being diagnosed with a respiratory problem. Upon learning his financial condition, TRS working president and MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao took up the issue with the State government and had Rs 10 lakh sanctioned for his medical expenses from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Recalling his services, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao expressed his condolences over the death of Dr Chiranjeevi. He said Chiranjeevi’s life was ideal for society, as he was a qualified doctor who lived for the wellbeing of the society. He conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved family. Ministers KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao, Eatala Rajender, S Niranjan Reddy, Errabelli Dayakar Rao and several other leaders also expressed their condolences and prayed that his soul rest in peace.
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