Rajbahadur Venkat Ram Reddy remembered on his jayanti in Wanaparthy

Wanaparthy: The birth anniversary of late Rajbahadur Venkat Ram Reddy, who is fondly remembered as Kotwal (Police Commissioner) of Hyderabad during the reign of Nizam, was celebrated with grand fervour at his birthplace in Rayanipet village of Kottakota mandal in Wanaparthy district on Thursday.

Taking part in the programme, Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy visited Rayanipet village and garlanded the statue of Rajbahadur Venkat Ram Reddy and stated that he was a great visionary leader who had excelled in maintaining law and order during the Nizam rule.

Speaking on the occasion, the Agriculture Minister said that Rajbahadur Venkat Ram Reddy was the first Hindu Kotwal of Kingdom of Hyderabad in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is said that during the rule of Nizam, the Kotwal post was a powerful position and it was usually held by Muslims.

However, Nizam was impressed with the excellent calibre of Reddy had let him in the post for about 14 years. Being a Hindu from the Muslim majority administration, Reddy commanded a great respect among the public for his outstanding administration.

"We are proud to have such great leaders from Wanaparthy district even during Nizams time. We need to remember the past leaders who excelled even during adversaries as it will give inspiration to the future generations," said the Minister.

Rajbahadur Venkat Ram Reddy was born in August 1869 in Rayanipet village of Wanaparthy Samsthan in Kingdom of Hyderabad (now Mahbubnagar district). His father was the head of some eight villages and was well off.

He was the grand nephew of the then Raja of Wanaparthy. The Raja of Wanaparthy had employed a Catholic teacher to educate some of his boys. He was educated in his village and then at Wanaparthy where he became a classmate of Raja Rameshwar Rao 2, the Raja of Wanaparthy.