Click to play videoNew Delhi: A leader of the masses, Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly know as YSR and Tiger of Kadapa, came up the hard way, and in a political career spanning three decades, built himself as the Congress's supremo in Andhra Pradesh.
Born on July 8, 1949 in Pulivendula in Rayalaseema's Kadapa district, YSR made a modest beginning.
He had interest in politics right from his student days and served as the president of the students union while studying at MR Medical College in Gulbarga.
After completing his MBBS, he served as a medical officer for a brief period.
But his real interest was politics, which he entered in 1978 when he was elected to the Andhra Assembly from Pulivendula.
He went on to serve as the state minister from 1980 to 1983 and retained the Assembly seat in 1983 even when NT Ramarao's Telugu Desam Party swept to power with a historic victory.
Acknowledging his potential, the then prime minister Indira Gandhi appointed Reddy as the president of the state unit of Congress when he was only 34.
In 1989, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kadapa and held the seat till 1999.
From 1998 to 2000, he again served as president of the Andhra Congress
Though the Congress lost the 1999 state elections, YSR emerged as the strongest leader of the party and became the leader of Opposition.
The turning point of his political career came in 2003 when he undertook a 64-day padyatra (walkathon) across the state.
Covering 1,500 km under the scorching sun, he received petitions from people about their problems.
It was this campaign and a strong anti-incumbency wave against Chandrababu Naidu's government which catapulted YSR to power.
When it was time for re-election in May 2009, YSR led from the front once again to become the first Congress Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh to retain power in nearly three decades.
Banking on his performance and the numerous welfare schemes of his government, he led the Congress to victory in a three-cornered contest against the TDP-led Grand Alliance and Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party.
Most Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, had grown to trust him to deliver. Ironically, the year of his greatest political triumph has ended in personal tragedy.
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