Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu

Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu Date of Birth = 15-05-1875 KCSI
Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu in 1940-41
10th Chief Minister of Madras Presidency
In office 1 April 1937 – 14 July 1937
Governor	John Erskine, Lord Erskine
Preceded by	Raja of Bobbili
Succeeded by	Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
Governor of Madras Presidency (Acting)
In office 18 June 1936 – 1 October 1936
Premier	Raja of Bobbili, P. T. Rajan
Member of Viceroy's Executive Council Died : 10-08-1942
In office 1934–1937
Governor-General	Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon, Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow
Agent to the Union of South Africa
In office 1929–1932
Monarch	George V of the United Kingdom
Governor-General	E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Preceded by	V. S. Srinivasa Sastri
Succeeded by	Kunwar Maharaj Singh
Minister of Development
In office 1920–1923
Premier	A. Subbarayalu Reddiar, Raja of Panagal
Governor	Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai
Personal details
Born	1875, May 15 Eluru
Died	10th Sept.1942 Madras
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Justice Party
Spouse(s)	Lakshmi Kanthamma Sons - 1.KV Gopala Swamy Naidu 2.KV Raja Gopal Swamy Naidu 3. KV Madana Gopala Swamy Naidu Daughters : 1.Kamala 2.
Profession	Politician

Lakshmi Kanthamma

Daughters : 1.Kamala

Rao Bahadur Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu (Telugu:కూర్మా వేంకటరెడ్డి నాయుడు) KCSI Born on 15 May 1875. (1875–1942) was an Indian lawyer, professor, politician and Justice Party leader who served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from 1 April 1937 to 14 July 1937. He was the last Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from the Justice Party and belonged to the Kapu (caste)

Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu hailed from Drakharama of Madras Presidency. He graduated from Rajahmundry Arts College, the Madras Christian College, Madras Law College and Madras University and served as the Professor of Physics at Rajahmundry Arts College.

Reddy Naidu joined the Justice Party in 1919-1920 and was a part of T. M. Nair's delegation to the United Kingdom. Later, when a Justice Party government was formed in Madras, Reddy Naidu served under A. Subbarayalu Reddiar and the Raja of Panagal as Minister of Development. In 1923, the Raja of Panagal replaced Reddy Naidu as Minister of Development with T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai.

Reddy Naidu served as India's agent to the Union of South Africa from 1929 to 1932 and acted as the Governor of Madras from 18 June 1936 to 1 October 1936. He was selected as Chief Minister on 1 April 1937 and served in this capacity till 14 July 1937. He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University in 1940. Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu died on 10 September 1942 in Madras. At the time of expired he was working as a Vice - Chancellor of Annamali University.Andhra University was inaugurated in temporary premises at Bezawada in the year 1926 by Lord Goschen, the first Chancellor. Goschen was the Governor of Madras Presidency from April 1924 to June 1929. He was succeeded by Lord Erskine who was in the chair up to March 1940 except for a brief interregnum from 18-06-1936 to 01-10-1936. During this period Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu was the Governor and ex-officio Chancellor of Andhra University. Reddy Naidu was also the Chief Minister of the state for a little over three months in 1937. In April 1942, his son Kurma Venugopalaswamy was appointed the Registrar of Andhra University which post he held till his retirement in February 1964. Thus a father and son occupied high positions associated with the Andhra University, a rare phenomenon in the annals of this university. The younger Kurma took active interest in amateur theatre and it was due to his efforts,the Department of Theatre Arts was established. The open air theatre known to earlier batches of students as 'Erskine Square' is now named after him - Kurma Venugopalaswamy Arubayalu Rangasthalam, a name as lengthy as the tenure of his office of the Registrar of Andhra Vishwa Kala Parishat.