Andhra Pradesh Magazine English May 2016 | Page 28

A learned scholar with two PhDs in economics
from Andhra University and in education from
the US-Anand Gajapathi Raju was known for
his patronage to education institutions,
research, philanthropy and also cricket.

A MAN OF MANY PARTS

T

he sudden demise of Pusapati
Anand Gajapathi Raju, former
Minister, came as a shock to the
entire state of Andhra Pradesh as it
had lost a leader and scholar.
The end came on March 26 at Manipal Hospital in Visakhapatnam city.
He was 65 and is survived by wife
and daughter. His younger brother is
Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister
for Civil Aviation.
A scion of the royal family of Vizianagaram, Anand joined the Telugu
Desam Party following NT Rama
Rao’s call in 1983. He was elected to
the Assembly from Bheemunipatnam
in Visakhapatnam district and served
as a minister twice in his cabinet—
holding the portfolios of Education
and Health. On the advice of NT
Rama Rao, he successfully contested
the Bobbili Lok Sabha in 1984 where
he again won seven years later on a
Congress ticket. He later contested
from contested from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency on the
TDP ticket without success, after
which he showed lack of interest in
politics.

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Anand was living in Kilampudi Layout on the beach road in Visakhapatnam, spending his time reading and
in spiritual activity. He succeeded his
father PVG Raju as chairman of
MANSAS, a trust engaged in educational activity and also as many as
108 temples including the Simhacha-

lam temple board , Arasavilli and
Srikurmam temples as hereditary
trustee.
He studied in Loyola Colllege, Madras
and later in Andhra University. He
had a brief stint as a journalist having
worked with The Hindu in Chennai .
A learned scholar with two PhDs in
economics from Andhra University
and in education from the US-Anand
Gajapathi Raju was known for his
patronage to education institutions,
research, philanthropy and also
cricket.
He pursued his studies in several reputed educational institutions in
India and the United States of
America. Appreciating his services to
the cause of education, an honorary
doctorate was conferred on him by
the Inter American University of Humanistic Studies in Florida, USA. In
2009, he was awarded with another
doctorate in economics from Andhra
University in recognition to his contribution to economic policies.
Anand began his political career as
Youth Congress leader in the Fort
Town of Vizianagaram but joined TDP
when its founder NT Rama Rao visited Bheemunipatnam in November
1982 along with Ashok Gajapathi
Raju, who was serving as Janata Party
MLA from Vizianagaram. During his
short tenure as Bhimili legislator,
Anand took steps to open a Government Degree College, Government

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Polytechnic for Girls at Bheemuipatnam and Government Residential
HIgh School for Girls at Tagarapuvalasa, a few kilometers away from
Bheemunipatnam.
The ambitious `Divyakshetram’ project was taken up at Simhachalam
during Anand’s tenure as hereditary
trustee. The Rs.100 crore project was
started in the year 2003. The Pusapati family had donated 9,000 acres to
the Simhachalam Devestanam during
the period of PVG Raju. The Mada
Streets or the roads on all four sides
of the temple, the Rajagopuram on
the south, Queue complex, free rest
house, Gangadhara, a 60-room choultry down hill and other development
works were taken u \