Farmers' Leader Sarampalli Mallareddy Dies at 87
Sarampalli Mallareddy, a veteran farmers' and Communist leader, has passed away at the age of 87. The news drew expressions of grief from Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who said he was deeply shocked upon learning of Mallareddy's demise.
Mallareddy, also known as Sarampalli Malla Reddy, had been associated with the agricultural sector since India's independence, one report noted. He held leadership positions in the All India Kisan Sabha and the Telangana Rythu Sangham, and is also remembered as a leader of a farmers' union and as Vice President of the All India Kisan Sabha.
The Chief Minister, as reported by Deccan Chronicle, recalled that Mallareddy spearheaded numerous movements advocating for farmers' rights and the resolution of agricultural issues. He praised Mallareddy for dedicating his life to the welfare of farmers, working on a wide range of matters including land rights, irrigation water, agricultural loans, and seeds. Reddy prayed for peace for the departed leader and conveyed condolences and deepest sympathies to his family members.
According to The Hindu Business Line, Chief Minister Reddy was among several leaders of farmers' associations and non-governmental organisations who mourned Mallareddy.
A Career Dedicated to Farmworkers
The Hindu Business Line reported that Mallareddy understood agriculture from the ground up, shaped by years of direct engagement with farmers and their struggles. Whether at the crop prices, agricultural credit, irrigation, land rights, tenant farmers, input costs, or the wider direction of agricultural policy, he combined political conviction with an enormous reservoir of field experience.
He was considered a walking encyclopaedia on Indian agriculture, with a particular focus on farming issues in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and wrote hundreds of academic-standard articles, the report said. He relied on data to highlight the issues farmers faced and was told to be an invaluable resource for journalists and researchers, providing relevant data points to support their work.
Tributes and Recognition
The All India Kisan Sabha issued a memorandum in his memory, stating: “Reddy was known for his deep understanding of agriculture and the problems of the peasantry. His fight against monopolies and for irrigation projects reflects his strong ability to undertake concrete analysis.”
G V Ramanjaneyulu, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, said: “Malla Reddy garu belonged to a generation of leaders for whom farmers’ issues were not the subject matter for political debate. They were questions of livelihoods, dignity, justice and rights.”
He also observed that Mallareddy “spent decades working with farmers, agricultural workers and rural communities and remained deeply engaged with the agrarian challenges of both undivided Andhra Pradesh and, later, Telangana.”
The Hindu Business Line published its report on August 24 and described him as a figure whose understanding of agriculture was shaped by direct engagement with farmers, and who wrote hundreds of academic-standard articles. The same report noted that he had been a leader of the All India Kisan Sabha and the Telangana Rythu Sangham.
Perspectives
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy – Expressing deep shock, he called Mallareddy's service to farmers' union and as Vice President of the All India Kisan Sabha “truly memorable,” and praised his lifelong dedication to farmers' welfare, including his work on land rights, irrigation water, agricultural loans, and seeds.
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) – In its statement, emphasised Reddy's “deep understanding of agriculture and the problems of the peasantry,” his fight against monopolies and for irrigation projects, and highlighted his “strong ability to undertake concrete analysis.”
G V Ramanjaneyulu, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture – Remembered Mallareddy as a leader from a generation for whom farmers' issues were not mere political debate but questions of livelihoods, dignity, justice, and rights, who spent decades working with farming communities across undivided Andhra Pradesh and later Telangana.