Muralidhar, firstborn child of Suguna, Satyanarayana Ganduri. At Gundrampally, Telangana, one of the two Telugu States part of United Andhra Pradesh till 2014. In sixties. It was the time when Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, serving for 18 years, gave way to Shastri. Interim Prime Minster since September 1946 till Independence; Prime Minister of Dominion of India; then Republic of India. Won three general elections in 1951, 1957 and 1962. Grown up listening to his famous ‘tryst with destiny’ speech given at midnight of Independence again and again, reading his books: Letters from a Father to his daughter; Glimpses of World History; An Autobiography; Discovery of India. When he became Congress President in 1929, Nehru called for complete independence from the British Raj – We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy the fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities for growth. We believe also that if any government deprives a people of these rights and oppresses them the people have a further right to alter it or abolish it.
Orphaned with the death of Gandhi, Nehru spoke famously:
Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me but for millions and millions in this country.
Nehru led a formidable team that included: Vallabh Bhai Patel, BR Ambedkar, VK Krishna Menon, Gobind Ballabh Pant, Jagjivan Ram, John Matthai, CD Deshmukh, Morarji Desai, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Maulana Azad, TT Krishnamachari, Yashwant Rao Chavan, Gulzarilal Nanda et al. Under his premiership, India survived the death of Mahatma Gandhi, and emerged – an integrated nation, a union of states, with pluralistic multi-party democracy with ambitious economic, social and political reform agenda; a mixed economy nation with public sector and private sector; a nation with reorganised states on linguistic lines; a largest functional democracy with robust Constitutional framework; a leader of Non-Aligned movement globally; a nation with scientific temper – a system of universal primary education; a home to Modern temples like Bhakra Nangal and Nagarjuna Sagar Dams, Integrated steel plants, Science, Technology Higher Education-Learning Centres – NITs, IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, IISc, Agricultural Universities et al.
India and China had the Panch Sheela pact of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai. India granted asylum to Dalai Lama. India was not prepared and India lost Sino-Indian war, losing 20 kilometres behind the line of actual control. Nehru felt betrayed by China. His health got affected badly. And he rested via cardiac arrest on 27 May 1964. It is said: In his fearless pursuit of a world free from war he has served all humanity. He was a passionate fighter for peace in the world and an ardent champion of principles of peaceful coexistence of states. Atal Bihari Vajpayee hailed Nehru as Bharat Mata’s favourite prince.
Lal Bahadur Shastri (Srivastava) succeeded Nehru as Prime Minister after a 13-day interim charge by Gulzarilal Nanda. Shastri served for 2 years during 1964-66. Shastri’s birthday coincides with the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, incidentally. Shastri accepted Prime Ministership with –
There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the cross-roads of history and must choose which way to go. But for us, there need be no difficulty or hesitation, no looking to right or left. Our way is straight and clear—the building up of a socialist democracy at home with freedom and prosperity for all, and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations.
Shastri led the India-Pakistan war successfully. He brought attention to Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. In his speech after ceasefire, Shastri exhorted: Peaceful coexistence is possible among nations no matter how deep the differences between them, how far apart they are in their political and economic systems, no matter how intense the issues that divide them.
Shastri sought fasting on Monday, Shastri ‘vrat’, to cope with food shortage. He started it in the family first. He promoted the Green Revolution coming into India. Most important aspect was visiting a village in Kaira district on 31 October 1964 to learn about the success of Amul at Anand and staying there into the night without any security. He asked Dr Verghese Kurien to replicate Amul in the country and establish National Dairy Development Board for the purpose. Dairy Board’s White Revolution, Operation Flood brought self-sufficiency in milk in India and increased the well being of the milk farmers.
Andhra Pradesh, referred to as United Andhra Pradesh, was formed under States Reorganisation, 1956, with Hyderabad as its capital. Its three distinct regions – Telangana, Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra. Telangana was part of the Hyderabad State (Nizam). Nizam’s Hyderabad state was liberated from Nizam on 17 September 1948 and was assimilated in India in 1948. Other two regions were part of Madras Presidency, British Raj. These regions came out of Madras Presidency in 1953 as Andhra State with Kurnool as its capital. In 1956, Telangana and Andhra State merged together as Andhra Pradesh on the basis of the gentlemen’s agreement. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was its first Chief Minister. He, later, went on to become the President of India. He was followed by Damodaram Sanjeevaiah, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (again), Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, PV Narasimha Rao. Other prominent CMs include: Marri Chenna Reddy; NT Rama Rao, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, YSR Reddy. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Srisailam dam improved irrigation dramatically in AP.
Telangana region with a larger revenue base had a less-developed economy than Andhra. Telangana had apprehensions that these were diverted for use in Andhra. Planned irrigation projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers would not benefit Telangana proportionately, even though people of Telangana controlled the headwaters of the rivers. Andhra was taking away more higher education seats and government-private jobs. Telangana was not happy with the 1956 merger. Andhra assembly offered safeguards to Telangana – “development of that area would be deemed to be special charge, and that certain priorities and special protection will be given for the improvement of that area, such as reservation in services and educational institutions on the basis of population and irrigational development.” This Gentlemen’s agreement allowed the formation of the state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 itself. The agreement provided reassurances to Telangana – power-sharing; administrative domicile rules; and distribution of expenses of various regions.
During its 58 years as a unified state, the state weathered separatist movements from Telangana (1969) and Andhra (1972) successfully, apart from Non-mulki agitations starting way back in 1927, 1952 and so on. However, the final wave of Telangana movement, on the plank of marginalization in water, jobs, food, culture, language, and development, started in 2001 resulting in reorganization of state into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (residual) states on 2 June 2014. 10 crore people live in Telugu States – AP 5.5 Crore; Telangana 4 Crore – as against 140 Crore in India.
Telangana had 9 districts in sixties, and a new district Ranga Reddy was carved out in seventies. After the Telangana state formed in 2014, the number of districts have gone up to 33. Nalgonda was in the original 9 districts. Known as Neelagiri, or Nallagonda. Nalgonda played a major role in the Telangana Rebellion, a period of armed resistance against the Nizam of Hyderabad. Nalgonda is divided into 3 districts – Nalgonda, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri and Suryapet.
Gundrampally continues to be in Nalgonda. Nearest post office is Chityal, 508114. Chityal is also the mandal. Before, Gundrampally was part of Ramannapet Taluq, and Panchayat Samiti (block). Its assembly constituency kept changing – from China Konduru, to Bhongir, to Nakrekal now. Lok Sabha constituency remained Nalgonda throughout. Ravi Narayana Reddy, Konda Lakshman Bapuji, and A Madhava Reddy served as legislators. Ravi Narayana Reddy, Dharma Biksham, S Sudhakar Reddy, and Uttam Kumar Reddy served as Parliamentarians. Gundrampally was a Panchayat with multiple habitations including Sunkenpally. In due course, Gundrampally emerged as a single village Gram Panchayat. Its Primary agriculture cooperative society serviced multiple villages including Sunkenpally and Aepoor. It has several other cooperatives – dairy; fisheries; and wool. Its weavers were part of Vellanki cooperative. A sub-post office was functional. A bank branch too.
In 1948, Gundrampally was the site of a major revolt by the villagers against the Nizam of Hyderabad’s rule and the widespread massacres of villagers by Razakars of Hyderabad, killing more than 350 villagers. There was a large Razakar camp at Gundrampally from where they had killed a large number of villagers. In retaliation, the camp was attacked and destroyed.
The school moved up from a single private tuition center to single teacher school to high school. Now, it is getting ready to be an integrated 10+2 school. Community health sub-centre was there. Herbal doctors, RMPs, mobile RMPs, and weekend doctors were there. A hospital is yet to come. But, 1-2 medical shops continue. Several provision/kirana stores, pan shops, snack centres, and tea centres survived. 2-3 Clothes stores still service. 3-4 tailors gave way to 100s of tailors. Cycle repair, rent shops gave way to bike repairs shops, air fillers. 100s of fading and emerging livelihoods, being on the national highway. Maybe some 1000+ households today. Most women of the village in self-help groups, federated at village level as village organization. In some metamorphosis of Mahila Mandals in sixties, seventies; youth associations, serving not-so-poor. There were individual and collective enterprises, some supported by KVIC.
Village farmland is turning into housing sites, real estate. Land prices went from less than Rs.1000 an acre to more than Rs.1 Crore today. Literacy levels are near 100%, for young men and women, from a handful literates in sixties. Tanks in tank cascades provide water to farm lands and fishing from several decades. Wells are almost dried up, bores go as deep as 1000 ft to get some water. Electricity to farm land has become free. Free electricity in houses too. From no electricity situation. Community radio gave way to TVs, cable TVs, and dish TVs in almost all houses.
Several temples. Prominent being Ramalingeswara Temple, Lakshmi Devamma Temple. A large mosque with madarsa (school). A pir place. An annual jatra. Active cultural life in harmony, with several festivals, events including alai-balai.
1960s. Kasu Brahmananda Reddy – Chief Minister; PA Thanu Pillai – Governor. Shastri – Prime Minister; Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan – President.
1964. Year of Cooperative Societies’ Act in the country. It also saw the split of Communist Party of India. Sri Lanka granted citizenship to a million Tamils.
1965. Dr Verghese Kurien founded National Dairy Development Board – Dairy Board, NDDB at Anand, at the instance of Prime Minister Shastri to replicate AMUL across India. NDDB responded with Operation Flood and White Revolution. AMUL was established already as a producer-run democratic farmers’ cooperative union. In just 33 years, by the time Dr Kurien retired, India became the largest milk producer in the world. 81,000 dairy cooperatives were functioning in the country. It forayed into oilseeds and edible oils; fruits and vegetables; trees; salt; electricity et al. Through Operation Goldenflow. AMUL, Mother Dairy, Nandini, Vijay, DHARA, Safal et al have become big brands of India. As on date, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, GCMMF, has become the largest FMCG turnover company in the country.
1965 saw the beginning of the Green Revolution in India. Referred as Third Agricultural Revolution. In this, new technologies – High-yielding varieties; chemical fertilizers; pesticides; irrigation, and mechanization – in general and for wheat, maize and rice in particular, increased crop yields significantly. Norman Borlaug, father of green revolution, was credited with saving 2 billion people each from starvation. Yuan Longping did the same. MS Swaminathan is similarly considered father of green revolution in India. C Subramaniam offered political patronage. Shastri made the call.
Over 60 years, the green revolution is bursting at seams, with multiple crises. Response of the land is decreasing year-by-year and yields are falling. Soil is degrading. Life of soil is reducing. Water stress is mounting. Plant health is at risk. Biodiversity is being lost. Consumption of pesticides and fertilizer agrochemicals have adverse health impacts, including cancer, more than a million human pesticide poisonings annually. Chemical residues in food are increasing. Food and nutrition security is threatened again. Nutrient density is decreasing. Costs of cultivation are mounting, with frequent crop failures. Farmers’ incomes are falling and uncertain. Market is not certain. Farmers are into perpetual cycles of debt. Their well-being is threatened. There is distress migration out of farming and rural areas. Soils & Climate change have hit us. Global warming rate is alarming. Global temperatures increased by more than 1.5 deg C. Least responsible marginalized communities, women and children are being affected mostly, intensely. It is the same for all agriculture and allied livelihoods – agriculture-horticulture, fish, livestock and related livelihoods. We seem to have completed a full cycle, seeking a fourth revolution. This revolution is farming in harmony with nature. Natural farming; agroecology; regenerative agriculture; and evergreen revolution.
Last 60 years saw a phenomenal rise in the agency of marginalized people including women, children, SC/STs et al. More is required. With increased lifespans, elderly are the new marginalized requiring attention. Can we animate, facilitate PVM agency for their livelihoods, well-being, lives, governance, and destinies?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Being focused and relevant. In N? kartakriyayoga for 7L.