Former AP minister Bhattam Srirama Murthy passes away in Visakhapatnam
He was 89 and is survived by wife, a son and daughter
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-07-07 05:37 GMT
Visakhapatnam: Freedom fighter and former minister Bhattam Srirama Murthy passed away in a private hospital in Vizag city on Monday morning after prolonged illness. He was 89 and is survived by wife, a son and daughter. Bhattam, a Law graduate, was a member of All India Congress Committee for nearly 16 years. He was elected to Assembly in 1962 from Vizianagaram and from Parawada in Visakhapatnam district in 1972 and 1978 respectively.
Murthy was education and cultural affairs minister in 1972, social welfare minister between 1974 and 1978 and cultural affairs minister in 1981. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vizag parliamentary constituency in 1984 as a member of the Telugu Desam.
The freedom fighter wrote his biography covering the political career that lasted for six decades entitled Swechcha Bharatam and it was published in 2009. Several senior leaders including Chief Mini-ster N. Chandrababu Naidu, ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, Vizag MP K. Haribabu and MLAs condoled the death of Bhattam and expressed their heartful condolences to the bereave family.
They also expressed that Bhattam had dedicated his life for the country and his death was a great loss to the country. Bhattam’s life was an inspiration to the present generation and political leaders, they added.