Mohan Rao gave up studies for the nation

Hyderabad: It was an honour for Hans India when it felicitated the 98-year-old freedom fighter P Mohan Rao.

Rao became nostalgic about the Independent struggle and expressed his happiness that Hans India was the only newspaper which had gone to his house to felicitate him. Normally the freedom fighters are called for some functions, given a shawl and there the matter ends. But never in my life had any newspaper taken the initiative to come home and felicitate me like this, he said.

Walking down the memory lane, he said as the student of Law from Osmania University, he gave up studies and plunged into the freedom struggle and also fought against the "Nizam's tyrannical" rule during police action in 1948.

Born in Krishna District, he shifted to Hyderabad for further studies and took part in freedom movements. He joined the Border camp at Polampally organised by noted freedom fighter Bommakanti Satyaranaya Rao and actively participated in organising boycott of village officers (Patel's and Patwaries).

As a student organiser, he conducted many raids on Nizam buses and even on rail. After police action, he completed his Law and joined State government services and retired in 1983.

Rao recollected how he and his followers struggled during theNizamrule. They fought against Razakars and Nizam police for making people's lives miserable even after India attained freedom in 1947. He said that he was inspired by Ramanada Tirtha and joined the fight against Nizam rule until the Telangana State got freedom from the dynastic rule and merged with independent India in 1948.

Rao said it was tough time when the Nizam police hunted the freedom fighters and killed them. He spent many days in the forest areas around Hyderabad city and fought against Razakar's in a secret mission. He said there were many such memories and felt that all such stories should be told the younger generation so that they inculcate the feeling of patriotism and love for the country.