SILVER CITIZENS-GOLDEN MEMORIES

Memories of Justice P. J. Reddy.

[1910-1999]

Justice Sri. Pingle Jaganmohan Reddy was a remarkable person who inspired others to excel in their chosen fields. He was Judge of the Hyderabad High Court and then of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, later to become Chief Justice of that Court. He was elevated to the Supreme Court and retired from the Supreme Court in January 1975 and returned to his native place Hyderabad. At  the invitation of Sri. J.Vengal Rao, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Justice Reddy accepted the office of Vice-Chancellor of Osmania University.

Of his extraordinary and exemplary performance as VC, I recollect one episode- when he held a meeting of the University Senate for approval of the Annual Budget. Sri. M.Narayan Reddy MLA who represented the Legislative Assembly in the Senate, also attended this meeting. He was also the Chairman of the A P Agro-Industries Corporation at that time.

During the meeting, Sri. Narayan Reddy, the first speaker, pointed out many deficiencies in the presentation of the Budget and also made suggestions to make the budget more transparent etc. The VC agreed with him and assured the Senate that the Budget Format will be recast on the lines suggested by Sri. Reddy. Thereafter, the Senate meeting was adjourned for few days.

Later the budget proposals were formulated on lines suggested by Sri.M.N.Reddy. One mornig, the VC took me to meet Sri. M.N.Reddy in his office in MasabTank. When he became aware of the visit by VC, Sri. M.N.Reddy rushed forward to receive the VC in his Chambers and expressed his embarrassment on this visit and protested that he would have come to VC’s office if he had been told. But the VC told him ‘not to feel embarrassed’ and told him that he wanted to visit him in his office to discuss all the points raised by him in the Senate meeting. He also said that he was confident that if Sri.Reddy approved the changed format the Senate would also accept changes. This episode shows a rare courage and humility of which he was the very personification. From this episode, the generations then, and those to come ,can learn about the many noble traits of the great man who set new trends in the administration of the Osmania University in raising the academic standards and showing that a person should always think himself lesser than the institution he serves.

May his soul rest in peace!

                                                                                                ------Narrated by: Dr. Navaneeth Rao,

                                                                        Former Vice Chancellor, Osmania University.

(This blog is the online version of "VOICE OF SENIOR CITIZENS", a bilingual (Telugu & English) monthly newspaper, published from Hyderabad).

 If you want to become its subscriber,

Contact : S. Bhooma Reddy,
Editor, VOICE OF SENIOR CITIZENS,
207, C-block, 3rd  Floor, PBR Estate,
Padma Colony, Nallakunta, Hyderabad-44.
Ph. No: 040-27625209
Mail  Id: silvercitizens@gmail.com

* This blog is run by CSR Technosoft, a Hyderabad based IT& ITES firm.
Contact: www.csrtechnosoft.blogspot.com