Remembering martyred ABVP Activist Krishnavardhan Reddy, who was murdered by Maoists at Osmania University

B.Krishnavardhan N Reddy had just completed his M.Sc in physics and had registeted for Ph.D in Osmania University, Hyderabad. He always had a zeal to serve society through activism. Right from his first year, he was part of student movement as an ABVP activist. He was a soft spoken and good mannered person. He initiated various movements on academic and social issues, which made him very populer amongst the students. This led to him being elected as president of Osmania University Science College Students Union for the year 1985-86. As ABVP Zonal Secretary, he used to strive hard to expand the base of ABVP in suburban Hyderabad.

On 1st October 1987, he left his hostel room at 7AM to reach ABVP office. Members of maoist organization PWG, who were following him, spotted him in a restaurant near ABVP office while he was having tea. Krishnavardhan sensed the danger and ran onto the street. The assassins chased him. While trying to take shelter in a nearby nursing home, he slipped and fell on the floor. The Maoists shot bullet into his head. Krishnavardhan collapsed in a pool of blood at the entrance of the nursing home.

The state capital was engulfed in grief. Thousands of students and youth thronged to MLA's Quarters, the place where the body was kept. The home minister of the state K.Shivaprasad Rao, Commissioner of Police T.S. Rao, IGP H.J. Dora, Vice Chancellor of Osmania University Prof T.N.Navanith Rao and other dignitaries placed wreaths on the body of the student leader. Entire Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh observed a bandh on 3rd October in response to a call given by ABVP. Effigies of Indra Reddy, Education Minister and a former PDSU activist were burnt at many places.

ABVP's struggle against Maoism for last three decades of 20th century ensured that Maoist groups lost support from all educational institutes of Andhra Pradesh. But, the organization had to pay a heavy toll to achieve this goal. Innumnerable student activists were murdered by Maoist groups in different parts of Andhra Pradesh. ABVP state office of Telangana is filled with photographs of such activists who gave the highest sacrifice of martyrdom. Today, ABVP activists are getting inspired by such examples of martyrdom by common students who placed nation before self from such an young age. This has resulted in Telangana becoming the state with the strongest ABVP presence amongst all states!

Inside ABVP Telangana State Office

Let's pledge to work on ground for the nation which will be the best tribute to this martyrs.

जिसने गीत सजाये अपने,

तलवारों के झन-झन स्वर पर।

जिसने विप्लव राग अलापे,

रिमझिम गोली के वर्षण पर।

जो बलिदानों का प्रेमी है,

जगती का प्यार उसी को।