Date:31/01/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/31/stories/2003013100871004.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

First Dalit CM

Sir, — "A puppet play in Mumbai' by Inder Malhotra (Jan. 22) was erroneous in some aspects. I am not sure whether Damodaran Sanjeevaiah was the first ever Dalit Chief Minister in India but he was certainly the only Dalit Chief Minister Andhra Pradesh has had so far. He was a native of an obscure village, Peddapadu, in Kurnool district. He stepped down in favour of Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy in 1962.

The other Andhra Chief Minister, T. Anjaiah, was not a Dalit. On more than one occasion, he publicly claimed that he was a Reddy by birth but brought up by a family of backward community.

V. Janaki Ram,
Kurnool, A.P.