HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced that the Women’s University in Koti would be named after Chakali Ailamma, who played a key role in the Telangana armed struggle. He said the decision was taken recognising Ailamma's role in championing the rights of the poor and landless.
At an event held at Ravindra Bharathi on Tuesday to commemorate the death anniversary of Chakali Ailamma, Revanth Reddy said, “Ailamma's spirit will continue to live on in Telangana, and we are taking steps to ensure her legacy is enshrined for future generations.”
Revanth Reddy announced the appointment of Chakali Shwetha, Ailamma’s granddaughter, as member of the Telangana Women's Commission. "We want the family members of Ailamma to be active partners in the government," Revanth Reddy added, underscoring the administration's commitment to involving descendants of historical figures in governance.
Reflecting on Ailamma’s legacy, the Chief Minister praised her tireless fight for the redistribution of land, particularly her efforts in transferring thousands of acres from the control of landlords to the poor.
“Indira Gandhi brought land reforms with the inspiration of Chakali Ailamma,” Revanth stated, emphasising the historic significance of land rights movements in India.
He noted how Indira Gandhi's land reforms were inspired by Ailamma’s actions, particularly her belief that "land is the self-esteem of the poor," a principle that drove Gandhi to distribute lakhs of acres to the underprivileged.
The Chief Minister took a dig at the controversial Dharani land records portal, alleging that it has been misused by previous BRS rulers to usurp land from the poor. “Under the guise of Dharani, there were conspiracies to grab the lands of the poor. But the people's government led by Congress, which came to power with the spirit of Ailamma, will ensure that the lands of the poor are protected," he said.
Ailamma, whose surname was Chityala, is better known by the Chakali prefix as she hailed from the Rajaka community.
