Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy | |
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14th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh | |
In office 14 May 2004 – 2 September 2009 |
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Preceded by | N. Chandrababu Naidu |
Succeeded by | Konijeti Rosaiah |
Constituency | Pulivendula |
Personal details | |
Born |
Pulivendula, Madras State, India (now in Andhra Pradesh, India) |
8 July 1949
Died | 2 September 2009 Andhra Pradesh, India |
(aged 60)
Political party | Indian National Congress |
Spouse(s) | Y.S. Vijayalakshmi |
Children |
Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy Y. S. Sharmila |
Religion | Church of South India (Anglican) |
Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy (8 July 1949 – 2 September 2009), popularly known as YSR, was a two-time Chief Minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, serving from 2004 to 2009.
Reddy was elected to the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Lok Sabha from the Kadapa constituency for four terms and to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for five terms from the Pulivendula constituency. He won every election he contested. In 2003 he undertook a three-month-long paadayaatra, or walking tour of 1475 km during the very hot summer months, across several districts in Andhra Pradesh as a part of his election campaign. He led his party to victory in the following general and assembly elections held in 2004, and did the same in 2009.
On 2 September 2009, a helicopter carrying Reddy went missing in the Nallamala Forest area. The next morning media reported that the helicopter wreckage had been found on top of Rudrakonda Hill, 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Kurnool. The five people aboard were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Over a hundred people were reported to have committed suicide on hearing the news of his death.
Being born into a Christian middle class family on 8 July 1949 as eldest of five sons for Y. V. Raja Reddy at Pulivendula, he completed his medical studies in Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Gulbarga, Karnataka and served as medical officer as Jammalamadugu Mission Hospital, Jammalamadugu, Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh after completing his studies. In 1973, he established a 70-bed charitable hospital before joining into politics.