Veteran environmentalist Jalagam Rao, 94, no more

 HYDERABAD: Veteran environmentalist Captain Jalagam Rama Rao (retd) passed away at his Banjara Hills residence on Tuesday due to age-related issues. He was 94.

The sibling of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jalagan Vengal Rao, Rama Rao was an electrical engineer, who graduated from College of Engineering, Guindy of Chennai, who joined the Indian Navy in 1953. He was a recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal.

After taking voluntary retirement in 1975, Rao worked as an industrialist for 20 years before dedicating himself to social causes and environmental issues.

His wife, Sirisha, passed away in 1994. As they had no children, Rao was under his nephew’s care at Banjara Hills until his death.

Jalagam Vinod Rao, the grandnephew of Rama Rao, recalled his fond memories of Rama Rao with the Deccan Chronicle. “My uncle was an inspiration to our generation. It was his entrepreneurship skills that motivated me to launch my start-up. He had many start-ups of his own and was a businessman with excellent acumen. He was active till the last days of his life as environmental issues remained very close to his heart.”

Rama Rao was instrumental in bringing the GO 111, during N. Chandrababu Naidu’s government in 1996 that imposed restrictions on construction in 84 villages under the catchment area of the twin reservoirs of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.

In 2000, along with other environmentalists, including Prof. C. Ramachandraiah and Sarvottam Rao, formed the Forum for a Better Hyderabad to promote the conservation of water bodies, soil, and air and address issues of urban planning and traffic management, among others. He previously worked with the Society for Preservation of Environment & Quality Of Life (Speql).

Environmentalists from the city, his colleagues, acquaintances, friends and juniors remembered Rama Rao as an upright and noble person.

C. Ramachandraiah, a retired professor from the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), recalled his days with Capt. Rao. He said, “I worked very closely with him in the 2000s when we formed Forum for Better Hyderabad. He was the founder chairman and I was founder convenor. We used to meet every second Saturday of the month without fail for many years. He was a very disciplined person and was very particular about time, something that he carried from his Navy background. He was a guiding force and a mentor to me.”

Prof. K. Purushottam Reddy said: “Popularly known as Captain J. Rama Rao, he was a thorough gentleman and an inspiration to many. He, along with other big names like Dr V.K. Bawa, Pratap Singh, IPS, Jeevanand Reddy and Prof. T. Shivaji Rao led the movement to protect water bodies in Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad.”

His correspondence with the government through letters and his paperwork were his biggest strengths, remembered those who fought alongside him.

Donthi Narasimha Reddy told Deccan Chronicle: “Most of his actions were evidence based. He was very diligent and hard working in paper work. Nobody could beat him in documentation. Jalagam Rao’s activism was a voluntary effort and I remember him as a genial, humble human being.”

The Navy Foundation, Hyderabad Chapter, expressed its condolences on the passing away of Rao. His mortal remains will be cremated at 9 am at Mahaprasthanam on Wednesday, it was announced