VIJAYAWADA: Valluri Kameswara Rao, a legend among civil servants, and former Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer died of old-age related illness at his residence in Hyderabad on Tuesday. He was 104. He is survived by his son, Narayan Valluri and two daughters.
Rao, who was born in East Godavari district on July 15, 1914, joined the ICS in 1937 and went on to serve the country in different capacities including as chief secretary in the united AP and, after his retirement, he worked as Vigilance Commissioner and subsequently, as Principal Secretary to President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy from 1981 to 1982.
Condoling Rao’s death, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the country lost a great officer and praised the services he rendered to the country in the hour of need such as during the Partition and the Great Bengal Famine. “He was the first chief secretary of united Andhra Pradesh. It is painful that he passed away soon after celebrating his 103 birthday,” he said.
Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and recalled the services rendered by Rao. Describing him as a role model for members of the civil services, KCR said he was held in high esteem by one and all. During his long career, Rao witnessed several historical events and was part of a changing India. After his schooling at Rajole, Kothapeta and Rajahmundry, he studied at Loyola College and went on to graduate in Mathematics from Cambridge University.
At the behest of his father, he appeared for the ICS and succeeded in his second attempt. His first posting was in Midnapore in the undivided Bengal Presidency. During the Great Bengal Famine in 1943 and a few years down the line, during the Great Calcutta Killings at the time of Partition, he worked in Bengal. After Independence, he was moved to the Madras Presidency and was posted as district collector in Visakhapatnam. After the formation of AP in 1956, he was shifted to the Planning Commission and thereafter upon his return, he served as chief secretary and as the Governor’s advisor during the President’s rule in 1973.
Speaking to TNIE, LV Subramanyam recalled his meeting with Rao when the latter visited Tirumala in 2014. “I met him when I was with the TTD. When he turned 100, I took Srivari Prasadam to him. He led a disciplined life and was a regular walker,” he said.