Veteran freedom fighter no more

Mulkanoor: Veteran freedom fighter Padala Chandraiah breathed his last at his residence in the early hours of Wednesday. He was 95.  Chandraiah took part in Indian Independence and .Telangana Armed Struggle

He along with Aligireddy Kasi Vishwanatha Reddy and others established Mulkanoor Cooperative Rural Bank that later became a beacon to the cooperative movement in India. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he joined the Quit India Movement when he was studying Class VIII. He was a close associate of PV Narasimha Rao. 

He is survived by three daughters and two sons. As per his wish, family members handed over Chandraiah’s mortal remains to Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) in Warangal. It may be noted here that mortal remains of Chandraiah’s wife Venkatalaxmi, also a freedom fighter, were also donated to the KMC in 2009.