REDDY'S ARE BACK WITH A BANG!!!
The largest single community grouping in Andhra Pradesh today is of the Reddy community. The name is also written in India in roman characters as Reddy. They are found all over Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring states. In Andhra Pradesh, the Reddys are considered traditional village headmen. The duties of headmen included the collection of tax, guarding the village and basically representing the village in dealing with outsiders or even the government. Physically they are very well built and strong, 'solid farmer stock' according to some english observers, and they retain a residual military -aristocratic tradition. (In short they are upper caste). Several members of the community are very wealthy landowners and businessmen, but most are small farmers. In most areas of Andhra Pradesh, in the small villages it is the Reddi who speaks authoritatively on behalf of the village: they are the traditional "leaders" of the village.
Reddy is a caste (community) mainly from the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Reddys wield significant social and economic power and they are dominant in every part of Andhra Pradesh, and have strong political hold in Rayalaseema, Telengana and coastal areas. They are generally Telugu-speaking farming community originally from the state of Andhra Pradesh, though there are considerable number of Reddys settled in the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Reddy - Origins
There are many theories put forth about the origins of Reddys. But none of them is conclusively proven. The word Reddy in particular refers to the Reddy dynasty that ruled in the region around present day Vijayawada, Guntur, Kurnool and Rajahmundry towns for nearly a hundred years (1328-1428). The Name "Reddy" originated as the head of a village appointed by the king as a rakshaka bata/rashta kuta (Police) to supervise the law and order of the village.
Reddys are believed to be an offshoot of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. After the decline of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, the ruling clan broke off and settled in North and South India. Rashtrakutas were a Rajput clan. The settlers in the north are called Rathods/Rathores, and ruled Marwar in western Rajasthan, while the southern settlers were called Reddys.
Reddy - Reddy as a title
In Ancient India, Reddy is the title of the headman of the village. Since these positions were mostly hereditary their offspring retained the title. Sometime in the medieval period it came to represent the community as of the present.
Reddy - Reddy kings and the Dynasty
Reddys ruled Andhra Pradesh area from 1353 to 1448. At the height of its days, their kingdom spanned over most of South India. The initial capital of the kingdom was Addanki and then Kondavidu and later shifted to Rajahmundry. Some of the major cities of the kingdom included Orugallu (present Warangal), Bezawada (now Vijayawada),Velanati (Now in Prakasam,Guntur,Kurnool)majorly with their surname METTU, Devagiri (present Davanagere in Karnataka state), Dharmapuri (Tamil Nadu), Rayagada (Orrisa), Ratnagiri (Maharashtra).
Roots of the Reddys:
The Reddys do not constitute a ethnic group, really. There are several strands which go to make the Reddys of today. They appear to be basically Deccan plateau inhabitants, which includes Maharashtra, karnataka and Andhra of today. Another point to note, in several areas the term Reddi was treated as a sort of title for anyone who was appointed as village headman. Usually this meant a soldier, who got along fine with the other headmen. Gradually the descendants would be absorbed into the larger Reddi grouping.The next prominent mention of the Reddys
seems to be during the rise of the Rashtrakutas. The Reddys are also called raTThi, raddi and raTTodi in old inscriptions dating back to the 9th century. The Rashtrakuta soldiers were among the elite troops of the Badami Chalukyas: they founded an empire after the Badami chalukyas faded from the scene. The Rashtrakutas expanded from their native Deccan plateau all the way to Kannauj. Over a century or so, they expelled the Gurjara pratiharas from Ujjain, then Gujarat and further attacked them in Kannauj. A section of the Rashtrakutas later became the well known rathodis, who later are found as one of the Rajput clans. Incidentally the famous Pramaras also are descended from the deccan Rashtrakutas.
After the Rashtrakuta empire faded away we find interesting inscriptions of the succeeding Kalyani Chalukyas in Andhra Pradesh, where Reddys are mentioned (900 AD). They were soldiers appointed as headmen of villages in Medak district by the kalyani Chalukyas.
The Reddys in the Telangana region were active in the kakatiya kingdom. (AD 1000-1223). They were knights and barons and subordinate kings who ruled regions, in turn they had to pay taxes/ a part of the plunder and organise troops for campaigns. Several large dams and lakes and large sized wells were constructed by the reddys of the time, and they still serve their purpose as planned a thousand years ago.
After the kakatiya kingdom broke up, many Reddys migrated to coastal Andhra---Addanki and Kondaveedu, and later Rajahmundry on the Godavari and founded their own independent kingdoms which flourished between 1325-1448 AD. Komati Prolaya Vemareddy , son of Komati Prola reddy founded this kingdom .During the Vijayanagar empire (roughly 1300 -1600 AD) too they were prominent especially in Rayalseema, where they became independent zamindars or landholders and were constantly engaged in clan feuding. (the feuds continue to this day). The Rayalseema reddys are closely related to the landlord Gowdas of karnataka and the Reddiars of Tamilnad. There are also a few Reddi principalities which managed to survive independently between large warring states, in Mahabubnagar district (Old Palamoor) like Gadwal and Wanaparthi. The Reddys around these areas have a tradition they are descended from ancient Chalukya ancestors.
Reddys are also prominent in Nellore and Chittoor district also. ---(some claim they are descended from pallava ancestors, but proof is lacking). In these areas, during British times they often visited closeby Madras, took to modern education in the Madras presidency, and also joined the military.
The Reddys of all the various regions mentioned have different traditions and notions and do not seem to have very much in common with each other : they have more in common with other communities of their regions. Given the background one would expect they are all feudal reactionary upper caste bigots : not so, they were prominent in reform activities too. In medieval times they were enthusisatic backers of Saivite and Vaishnavite reform movements too. In south coastal areas --guntur, for instance--- reddys intermarried with Brahmins and others under the influence of saivite reformers. In Telangana area they used to wed girls from other communities but the offspring wouldn't bear the clan name. In north Andhra Pradesh, during the communist-led Telangana people's movement against the feudal Nizam state in the 1940's, there were many comrades from a Reddy background. Eventually, a large number of Reddys went into business especially construction and films and have made a name for themselves in the field. --Nagi reddi , etc. Don't forget Kalabandhu Subbiramireddy. In recent times they are prominent in the world pharmaceutical industry too, like Dr Anji Reddy. Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was a President of India. (etc etc, many others too long to list. Generally they are embarrassed if listed.)
Taken as a whole, they are healthy, strong, cheerful, generally smiling, broadminded, and impulsively generous. They are somewhat conservative, but not really clannish: managing soldiers or running a village or district or kingdom efficiently means you have to take along everybody with you: the feudal man management skills honed over the centuries are still useful.
The Reddys of all the various regions mentioned have different traditions and notions and do not seem to have very much in common with each other : they have more in common with other communities of their regions. Given the background one would expect they are all feudal reactionary upper caste bigots : not so, they were prominent in reform activities too. In medieval times they were enthusisatic backers of Saivite and Vaishnavite reform movements too. In south coastal areas --guntur, for instance--- reddys intermarried with Brahmins and others under the influence of saivite reformers. In Telangana area they used to wed girls from other communities but the offspring wouldn't bear the clan name. In north Andhra Pradesh, during the communist-led Telangana people's movement against the feudal Nizam state in the 1940's, there were many comrades from a Reddy background. Eventually, a large number of Reddys went into business especially construction and films and have made a name for themselves in the field. --Nagi reddi , etc. Don't forget Kalabandhu Subbiramireddy. In recent times they are prominent in the world pharmaceutical industry too, like Dr Anji Reddy. Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was a President of India. (etc etc, many others too long to list. Generally they are embarrassed if listed.)
Taken as a whole, they are healthy, strong, cheerful, generally smiling, broadminded, and impulsively generous. They are somewhat conservative, but not really clannish: managing soldiers or running a village or district or kingdom efficiently means you have to take along everybody with you: the feudal man management skills honed over the centuries are still useful.
Socially overall, it appears today their outlook or watchword is " status quo" or 'slow gradual change is best'. Womenfolk are not as independent minded as in some other communities. In politics they are usually backers of the Congress : they were not well represented in the Telugu Desam party which was in power until recently. Now, the REDDY's are BACK with a BANG.
Reddy - Role in politics
Historically, Reddys dominated the politics of the south India and are the most powerful caste in wealth and are highly educated. Interestingly, the sixth President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and some of the chief ministers of the State of Andhra Pradesh and many Notable Reddy personalities come from Middle class and very poor families . Dr. Bejawada Gopalareddy served as the chief minister of Andhra State from March, 1955 to October, 1956. Ten of the twenty elected Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh including the present chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy are from the Reddy community. Sixth President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy who was in office from 1977 to 1982 is also from the Reddy community. Even though the population of Reddys is 11% in the state of Andhra Pradesh they occupy 40% of the state legislative assembly seats (MLA) and had played a vital role in the social and economic development of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Notable Reddys
Reddy - Politicians
- O P Ramaswamy Reddy - Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
- Neelam Sanjiva Reddy - Former President of India and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- Dr. S. Jaipal Reddy - Information & Broadcasting Minister, Government Of India (2004-till date)
- T. Anjaiah (alias Ramakrishnareddi Talla) ---Former Chief Minister of Andhra pradesh.
- Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy - Current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy - Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy
- Dr. Bejawada Gopalareddy
- Kysamballi Chengalraya Reddy -first Chief Minister of the old Mysore state
- Kasu Brahmananda Reddy - Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- Bhavanam Venkatrami Reddy - Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- Kotla VijayaBhaskara Reddy - Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy - Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
- P.Sundarayya - Communist party leader
- Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy - Future Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Non Politicians
- Raja Bahaddur Venkatram Reddy
- Suravaram Pratap Reddy
- Cattamanci Ramalinga Reddy - Educationalist, First vice chancellor of Andhra university
- Potu Narsimha Reddy --Social Reformer, Satyagraha Movement Member
- G. Pulla Reddy - Entrepreneur and educationalist
- Prof. G. Ram Reddy - Former University Grants Commission chairman
- Dr. Anji Reddy - entrepreneur-scientist (Dr. Reddy's Laboratories)
- Dr. C. Narayana Reddy - Poet
- Dr. Hanumandla Rajinder Reddy - MD, Cardiologist, California.
- Yogi Vemana (Real Name: Gona Vema Buddha Reddy) - Poet
- Vedre Ramachandra Reddy Bhoodhan - Social Reformer, Satyagraha Movement Member
- Dr. Raj Reddy - winner of the ACM Turing Award
- Dr. Y. Venugopal Reddy - present Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
- Annamalai Reddiyar - Tamil Poet, 19th Century.
- P. Siva Reddy - Eye surgeon
- Dr. M. Mahadeva Reddi - Mechanical Engineer and Entrepreneur - Founder of Conrad Technologies
- Finally.......
- P.Bharath Reddy - Legend Of Nellore District
REDDY's are BACK with a BANG.
