R. Vidyasagar Rao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
R. Vidyasagar Rao
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Vidyasagar Rao in 2015
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| Born | 14 November 1939 |
| Died | 29 April 2017 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Osmania University Hyderabad |
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Ramaraju Vidyasagar Rao (born November 14, 1939 – died April 29, 2017) was an important person in India. He was a government worker and a strong supporter of the Telangana region. He worked as the Chief Engineer for the Ministry of Water Resources.
After Telangana became a separate state, he became an advisor on irrigation for the Government of Telangana. He was a top expert on water projects in Telangana. He helped show how the Telangana region was not getting its fair share of water when it was part of Andhra Pradesh.
A big water project, the Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme, was named after him. It is now called the R. Vidyasagar Rao Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme. He worked hard to bring safe drinking water to Nalgonda district, which had fluoride problems. He also helped bring water to dry areas in Telangana.
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Growing Up and Education
Vidyasagar Rao was born in Jajireddygudem village, near Suryapet, in Nalgonda District. His father, R. Raghava Rao, was a school teacher. His mother, R. Lakshmamma, was a housewife. Because his father moved often for work, Vidyasagar Rao went to many schools.
He finished his early schooling in Huzurnagar and Miryalaguda. He went to high school in Suryapet. He then studied at Nizam College in Hyderabad. In 1960, he earned his engineering degree from Osmania University in Hyderabad. Later, in 1979, he got his Master's degree in Water Resources Development from the University of Roorkee. He also studied Water Resources Systems Engineering in the USA in 1983. In 1990, he earned a law degree from Delhi University.
His Work Life
Vidyasagar Rao began his career in 1960. He worked as a Junior Engineer in the Irrigation Department for the Government of Andhra Pradesh. After three years, he joined the Central Water Commission.
Working for the Government
He worked for the Central Water Commission, which is part of the Indian government. He held many different positions there. He retired as a Chief Engineer in 1997.
He also worked as a consultant for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Africa. This was in November and December of 1991.
He was part of a group that planned large and medium irrigation projects for India. He also helped the government plan for water resources. He advised NABARD on checking and watching irrigation projects. He also helped settle disagreements about a World Bank-funded canal project. He traveled to many countries for his work with the UN.
Telangana Supporter
Vidyasagar Rao was very good at explaining complicated water issues. He spoke to people in simple Telugu language. He wrote over 100 articles for Indian newspapers. These included Vaartha, Andhra Jyothi, Eenadu, and Namaste Telangana. He also published two books of his essays about water.
He taught students and the public about water problems. He gave talks and spoke to the media. He wrote about big projects like the Polavaram project.
He worked with Prof. Jayashankar and K. Chandrasekhar Rao for a separate Telangana State. He showed how Telangana was treated unfairly with water. He gave talks and wrote articles using facts and numbers. This helped everyone understand the issues. His writings on water problems in Telangana were published in many newspapers.
Advisor to Telangana Government
Vidyasagar Rao was the main expert on irrigation for Telangana State. He helped plan and redesign many important projects. These included the Kaleshwaram Project and the Palamuru Rangareddy Project. He also worked on the Dindi Lift Irrigation Project and others.
He helped Telangana make agreements with the state of Maharashtra about water. He also helped with projects to fix and improve water tanks, like Mission Kakatiya. His ideas helped guide the future of irrigation in Telangana.
He strongly supported large lift irrigation projects for Telangana. He said they were needed because of the state's geography and climate. He also helped Telangana get its fair share of water from the Krishna River. He worked on issues with the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
In 2015, he helped Telangana and Andhra Pradesh agree on how to share Krishna waters. This agreement helped avoid problems with water sharing for two years. He also argued that Telangana should get its rightful share of water from the Godavari River.
Awards and Good Deeds
- In 2014, the Institute of Engineers (India) honored him. They recognized him for his important work in engineering.
- A market yard in Jajireddygudem village was named after him in 2018. It is called "Late Sri Rama Raju Vidyasagar Rao Sub-Market Yard."
- The important Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme was named after him. It provides drinking water and irrigation to dry areas.
- His birthday, November 14, is celebrated every year as 'Telangana Irrigation Day'. On his 81st birthday in 2020, two statues of him were unveiled in Hyderabad.
Helping Others
He and his brothers gave their land to their village. This land, where their old house stood, was used to build a Community Hall. The government helped build this hall.
He also asked the Telangana State Government to renovate an old temple. This was the 'Sri Yogananda Laxmi Narsimha Swamy Temple' in Aravapalli village.
Acting and Writing
Vidyasagar Rao was also known for his work in theatre. From 1960 to 1985, he acted in many plays across India. He wrote 12 plays in Telugu. He also wrote scripts for TV shows.
After he passed away, some of his plays were performed in Hyderabad in May 2017. A book of his plays was also released.
He strongly supported the Kaleshwaram Project. He wanted it to be finished quickly. He helped redesign the project to make it better for the people of Telangana. A book about the Kaleshwaram Project was released in 2018. It included two important articles written by him.
Movies
He acted in several Telugu movies. These included N. Shankar's Jai bolo Telangana, Dhammu, and Banduku.
His Passing
Vidyasagar Rao passed away on April 29, 2017. He died from bladder cancer at a hospital in Hyderabad. His funeral was held the next day.
On the first anniversary of his death, the Chief Minister of Telangana, KCR, honored him. Engineers and people across Telangana also held meetings to remember him. Books containing his articles and essays were released on his birthday in 2018.
