CGK Reddy
{{Short description|Indian activist, freedom fighter and politician (1921–1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Cattamanchi Gopala Krishnamoorthy Reddy
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| other_names = CGK Reddy, Kattamanchi Gopala Krishnamoorthy Reddy
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|01|12|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Kattamanchi, Chittoor, Madras Presidency
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1994|12|26|1921|01|12|df=yes}}
| death_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India{{Cite news|title = Rebel with a cause|url=https://madrasmusings.com/vol-27-no-18/rebel-with-a-cause/|magazine = Madras Musings|date = 2018-01-15|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}}
| death_cause =
| nationality = Indian
| occupation = Activist, freedom fighter and politician
| years_active =
| known_for = Deccan Herald, The Hindu, Prajavani, Press Institute of India, Baroda dynamite case
| notable_works = Baroda Dynamite Conspiracy: The Right to Rebel
| mother =
| father = CSV Reddy
}}
Cattamanchi Gopala Krishnamoorthy Reddy (12{{nbsp}}January 1921{{cite web|url=https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf|title=Parliament of India, Council of States, Who's Who 1952|publisher=Council of States Secretariat, New Delhi|page=85|access-date=15 March 2025|archive-date=22 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422001705/https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf}}{{snd}}26{{nbsp}}December 1994), commonly referred to as CGK Reddy, was an Indian activist, freedom fighter and politician. He was the first general manager of the Deccan Herald,{{Cite news|title = #70YearsofDH: The story...|url = https://www.deccanherald.com/features/dh-70-story-675206.html|newspaper = Deccan Herald|date = 2018-06-18|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}} a business manager at The Hindu,{{Cite news|title = The revolutionary manager|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/the-revolutionary-manager/article3824308.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 2021-11-17|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}} editor of Prajavani,{{Cite news|title = 1977 will go down as a year in which Indian media learnt the meaning of freedom of the press|url = https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19780115-1977-will-go-down-as-a-year-in-which-indian-media-learnt-the-meaning-of-freedom-of-the-press-822758-2014-10-04|newspaper = India Today|date = 1978-01-15|access-date = 2025-03-16|language = en-IN}} founder director of the Research Institute of Newspaper Development (RIND), in Taramani, Chennai (now the Press Institute of India){{Cite news|title = Rebel with a cause|url=https://madrasmusings.com/vol-27-no-18/rebel-with-a-cause/|magazine = Madras Musings|date = 2018-01-15|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}} and former president of The Indian Newspaper Society.{{cite web |title=Former Presidents |url=http://indiannewspapersociety.in/former_presidents.php |website=indiannewspapersociety.in/|accessdate=28 October 2022}} During the Emergency, he collaborated closely with George Fernandes, notably as part of the Baroda dynamite case. He helped to found the People's Union for Civil Liberties, and served as President of the Karnataka chapter.{{Cite news|title = The revolutionary manager|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/the-revolutionary-manager/article3824308.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 2021-11-17|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}}
Early life
CGK Reddy was born on 12 January 1921 at Kattamanchi, near Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, to CSV Reddy. He was a nephew of Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy. After completing his schooling from High School, Chittoor, he briefly attended Pachaiyappa's College, Chennai.{{cite web|url=https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf|title=Parliament of India, Council of States, Who's Who 1952|publisher=Council of States Secretariat, New Delhi|page=85|access-date=15 March 2025|archive-date=22 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422001705/https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf}}
On graduating from college, CGK Reddy joined the Training Ship Dufferin as an engineering cadet and was then posted as fifth engineer in SS Chilka. On 11 March 1942, on the way to Padang, the ship was torpedoed by a submarine. After a week on the sea in a lifeboat with a few others, he was captured by the Japanese military near Nias. From there, he was sent to Singapore, and then the Indian Swaraj Institute, Penang. After being recruited by the Indian National Army, he was planted as a spy in India, along with 19 others, including Vakkom Abdul Khader. CGK Reddy was caught and arrested by British troops soon after crossing at Teknaf, and he was imprisoned for three years.{{Cite news|title = Rebel with a cause|url=https://madrasmusings.com/vol-27-no-18/rebel-with-a-cause/|magazine = Madras Musings|date = 2018-01-15|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}}{{Cite news|title = 'Clock strikes, death awaits': Remembering Abdul Khader and the heroic 'Penang 20' freedom fighters|url=https://scroll.in/article/972689/clock-strikes-death-awaits-remembering-abdul-khader-and-the-heroic-penang-20-freedom-fighters|magazine = Scroll|date = 2020-09-10|access-date = 2025-03-16|language = en-IN}}
In 1946, at the age of 25, he gave up his job as a marine engineer and became a political activist.{{Cite news|title = Rebel with a cause|url=https://madrasmusings.com/vol-27-no-18/rebel-with-a-cause/|magazine = Madras Musings|date = 2018-01-15|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}} He, along with Asoka Mehta, published Our Shipping.{{cite web|url=https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf|title=Parliament of India, Council of States, Who's Who 1952|publisher=Council of States Secretariat, New Delhi|page=85|access-date=15 March 2025|archive-date=22 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422001705/https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf}} CGK Reddy's involvement with the Deccan Herald led to T. S. Satyan and Pothan Joseph joining the Deccan Herald.{{Cite news|title = Legendary photo journalist T S Satyan passes away|url=https://m.rediff.com/news/slide-show/2009/dec/14/slide-show-1-photojournalist-ts-satyan-passes-away.htm|magazine = Rediff|date = 2009-12-14|access-date = 2025-03-16|language = en-IN}}{{Cite news|title = Grandfather and grandmother: a memoir|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/features/grandfather-and-grandmother-a-memoir-1118637.html|magazine = Deccan Herald|date = 2022-06-25|access-date = 2025-03-16|language = en-IN}}
He married Vimala on 7 November 1947, and they had 3 sons, Manmohan, Ramalinga and Rammanohar. Professor Amulya Reddy from the Indian Institute of Science was his nephew.{{Cite news|title = Rebel with a cause|url=https://madrasmusings.com/vol-27-no-18/rebel-with-a-cause/|magazine = Madras Musings|date = 2018-01-15|access-date = 2025-03-14|language = en-IN}}
Political career
CGK Reddy unsuccessfully stood in the 1951 Lok Sabha elections from the Bangalore North constituency under a Socialist Party ticket.{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1951/VOL_1_51_LS.PDF|title=Statistical report on general elections, 1951 to the First Lok Sabha|publisher=Election Commission of India|page=160|access-date=30 May 2014|archive-date=8 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008191615/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1951/VOL_1_51_LS.PDF}} He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Mysore State by the Socialist Party in 1952 and served as an MP until 1954. He served as the Chairman for the Mysore State wing of the Socialist Party.{{cite web|url=https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf|title=Parliament of India, Council of States, Who's Who 1952|publisher=Council of States Secretariat, New Delhi|page=85|access-date=15 March 2025|archive-date=22 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422001705/https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/ElectronicPublications/who_1952.pdf}}
CGK Reddy financially supported Shantaveri Gopala Gowda during his campaign for the 1952 Mysore State Legislative Assembly election.{{Cite news|title = Remembering an antithesis of money and caste politics|url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha-2019/remembering-an-antithesis-of-money-and-caste-politics/article26858460.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 2019-04-16|access-date = 2025-03-16|language = en-IN}}
Emergency
During the Emergency, CGK Reddy worked closely with George Fernandes. He acted as a representative of George Fernandes for the 1975 meeting of the Bureau Socialiste Internationale at Brussels.{{Cite news|title = George Fernandes: Rebel without a pause|url=https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/dxWMisYxo5tz1XfTtA0QdI/George-Fernandes-Rebel-without-a-pause.html|magazine = Live Mint|date = 2015-06-26|access-date = 2025-03-16|language = en-IN}} He was arrested in 1976 in what became known as the Baroda dynamite case. After the Janata Party won the 1977 general elections, he was released from prison. CGK Reddy wrote a detailed account of the Baroda Dynamite Case in his book Baroda Dynamite Conspiracy: The Right to Rebel.
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.amulya-reddy.org.in/Publication/1995_01_CGK0109.pdf Lest We Forget CGK Reddy]
- [https://www.orientblackswan.com/details?id=9788125055181 Baroda Dynamite Conspiracy: The Right to Rebel]
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Category:Indian independence activists
Category:20th-century Indian politicians