Reddy, Neelam Sanjiva

Reddy, Neelam Sanjiva 

Born May 19, 1913, in Ilium, in what is now Andhra Pradesh State. Indian political and state figure.

The son of a landowner, Reddy received his education at Anantapur College of the University of Madras. In 1931 he became a participant in the national liberation struggle; he was arrested several times and served a prison sentence. Reddy held various leadership positions in the Andhra Pradesh and Madras organizations of the Indian National Congress and, from 1959 to 1962, served as president of the party. He occupied several ministerial posts in the government of Andhra Pradesh and in the central Indian government. A member of Parliament in 1952 and 1953, from 1964 to 1969, and in 1977, he served as speaker of the lower house of Parliament from 1967 to 1969 and in 1977.

As a result of a split in the Indian National Congress in 1969, the opposition Indian National Congress (Organization) was formed, and Reddy became one of the new party’s leaders in Andhra Pradesh. In 1977 the Congress (Organization) joined the Janata Party. Reddy was elected president of the Republic of India in July 1977.