Former Uttar Pradesh Governor and veteran freedom fighter, Bezawada Gopal Reddy, died in Chennai last night. He was 89.
Reddy, also the former Chief Minister of Andhra in the Madras presidency, was hospitalised following an accident ten days back. He was discharged yesterday and breathed his last at his sons residence. The body was brought to his native village for last rites.
He is survived by three sons and a daughter.
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Born in Buchireddypalem village of Nellore district in 1907, Reddy gave up his school education to participate in the non-cooperation movement and played an active role in the freedom struggle, participating in the salt satyagraha and the Quit India movements.
Reddy was also imprisoned in Vellore and Tanjavore jails in the early thirties and was elected to the composite Madras assembly in February 1937.
He later contined his studies at Machilipatnam and in the Vishwabharathi university and was a member of the composite Madras assembly holding the important portfolios of local administration and finance.
After being elevated as president of the state Congress committee in 1953, Reddy became the Chief Minister of Andhra in the Madras presidency in 1955 till Andhra Pradesh was formed in November 1956.
Reddy also held the finance and home portfolios in the Andhra Pradesh government from 1956 to 1958 and was later nominated to the upper house and found a berth as information and broadcating minister in the central cabinet from 1958 to 1963. He quit the post under Kamaraj Plan.
He was also elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952 and in 1962 from Nellore and Kavali. Reddy was the governor of Uttar Pradesh from 1967-72.