HYDERABAD: Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) chief Manda Krishna Madiga has been honoured with the Padma Shri, the third-highest civilian award, in the field of public affairs.
A prominent activist from Warangal, he has dedicated his efforts to advocating for the rights of the Madiga (Scheduled Castes (SC)) community. In 1994, he founded MRPS to demand the sub-categorisation of SCs and has led numerous protests for the upliftment of Madiga sub-castes.
In 2008, Manda Krishna staged a hunger strike to draw national attention to the issue of SC sub-categorisation. He also leads the Madiga Dandora movement, using the Dappu as a symbol for his cause. In 2007, he established the “Vikalangula Hakkula Porata Samithi” to fight for the rights of persons with disabilities.
Manda Krishna contested several elections unsuccessfully. In the 2004 Assembly elections, he ran independently from Madhira constituency but lost. He again contested from the same constituency in 2009 as a candidate of the Trilinga Praja Pragathi Party, but faced defeat. In 2014, he founded the Mahajana Socialist Party and contested from the Wardhannapet constituency, only to lose again.
After BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced support for SC sub-categorisation ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Manda Krishna Madiga campaigned for the saffron party.