CM pays tributes to Pingali Venkaiah

Hyderabad, Aug 1 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy paid rich tributes to veteran freedom fighter, a great nationalist and the designer of the tri-coloured Indian National Flag, Late Pingali Venkaiah on the ocasion of his 131st birth anniversary on tomorrow.

A multi-faceted genius, Venkaiah was attracted towards Gandhian principles in South Africa, when he was 19-year-old and dedicated his entire life for the selfless service to the Nation, the Chief Minister said.

Dr Reddy recalled that Late Venkaiah served the people at slum areas of Chennai and Bellari and extended immunisation facilities to control the spread of plague.

Venkaiah, a scholar in Sanskrit, Japanese and Urdu also served the farming community as a researcher in agriculture. He invented new variety of cotton breed.

He was famous for his mines and geology explorations' research.

In spite of his thorough knowledge and versatility, Venkaiah ultimately choose to be a patriot following the foot steps of Mahatma Gandhi in the fight for freedom, the Chief Minister added.

The patriotic fervour and unrelenting spirit of innovative discovery, which Venkaiah left behind, should be emulated by the youth for generations to come, Dr Reddy said.

UNI