Telangana's Veteran Communist Leader Mallu Swarajyam Passes Away at 91

She had played an active role in Telangana's armed struggle against feudal lords.

Mallu Swarajyam dies at 91. 

IANS

Veteran Communist leader Mallu Swarajam, who had participated in Telangana's armed struggle against feudal lords, passed away due to multiple organ failures in Hyderabad on Saturday. She was 91.

A former member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, she breathed her last at around 8 pm at a private hospital, where she was admitted to on March 1 for pneumonia treatment.

She was a member of the central committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and was a special invitee till the end.

Born to a feudal family in 1931 at Karivirala Kothagudem village in the undivided Nalgonda district, she was drawn to the communist ideology at a very young age.

Inspired by her brother Bheemireddy Narasimha Reddy, Swarajyam participated in Telangana People's Armed Struggle (1946-51) against feudal lords and their private armies.

She played a key role not only by mobilising people but also by taking up arms and serving as a female commander. She had a bounty of Rs 10,000 on her head.

Swarajyam married Mallu Venkata Narsimha Reddy, another well-known communist leader who played an active role in the armed struggle.

Leaders Pay Tribute to Swarajyam

As a candidate of CPI(M), she was elected to the Legislative Assembly of united Andhra Pradesh from Thungathurthy Assembly constituency for two terms – in 1978 and 1983.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao condoled the death of Swarajyam.

The CM said that Swarajyam was a woman warrior who grew up with the dynamism instilled by Thungathurthy, which was a centre of the peasant struggle.

Rao said in his condolence message that Swarajyam had worked tirelessly for the people all her life and that she was an inspiration to future generations.

The loss of a woman leader like Swarajyam is a big void for Telangana, the CM said, as he conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also expressed his condolences over the demise of Swarajyam.

"She was an exceptional Communist revolutionary, fearlessly facing and challenging the private armies of the ruthless landlords and mercenary militia of the tyrant Nizam of Hyderabad - 'Razakars' - in Telangana's armed struggle from 1946 to 1951."

Sitaram Yechury

The CPI-M leader said she inspired many women to take part in the struggle by setting an example and through her rousing speeches.

"We have lost an inspirational revolutionary. She spent more than 75 years in service of the people advancing the revolutionary cause."

Sitaram Yechury