Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was born on 19 May 1913 at Illur in Anantapur district, in present-day Andhra Pradesh. The Lok Sabha biographical record names his father as Chinnappa Reddy and records his marriage to Nagarathnamma in 1935, with one son and three daughters. He studied at the Theosophical High School and the Arts College at Anantapur, and describes his occupation as agriculturist. The President’s Secretariat places the school at Madanapalle, whereas the Lok Sabha record places it at Adyar, Madras, so the town is omitted here. He received an honorary D.Litt.

Reddy left his studies and joined the freedom movement in 1931. He was imprisoned several times during the freedom struggle, and the President’s Secretariat records that he was jailed twice. He was Secretary of the Andhra Provincial Congress for ten years and President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress in 1951. He was a member of the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1946 and of the Constituent Assembly of India in 1947, and was President of the Indian National Congress from 1959 to 1962.

From 1949 to 1951 Reddy was Minister of Prohibition, Housing and Forests in Madras. In 1953 he was Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra and Leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He was Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 and again from 1962 to 1964, resigning in February 1964 following a Supreme Court verdict in a case, which the Lok Sabha record describes as a step to establish high standards in public life. A 2013 President’s Secretariat release credits him with shaping plans for the Nagarjuna Sagar, Srisailam, Sriram Sagar and Vamsadhara projects.

Reddy was a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1952, resigning in 1953, and again from 1964 to 1967. He served as Union Minister of Steel and Mines from June 1964 to January 1966 and as Minister of Transport, Aviation and Shipping and Tourism from January 1966 to March 1967. He was a member of the Fourth Lok Sabha from 1967 to 1970 and its Speaker from 1967 to 1969. After the 1977 election he sat for Nandyal as a Janata Party member and was Speaker of the Sixth Lok Sabha from 26 March to 13 July 1977.

Reddy assumed office as President on 25 July 1977 and served until 25 July 1982. The President’s Secretariat describes him as the first person elected to the office unopposed. He was succeeded by Giani Zail Singh. He died on 1 June 1996.