HYDERABAD: Rich tributes were paid to J Eashwari Bai, the first woman legislator to raise the demand for the formation of Telangana 50 years ago, at a programme organised at the Ravindra Bharati on Thursday to mark her 104th birth anniversary.
Speakers at the programme recalled Eashwari Bai’s journey from teaching to politics, and her commitment to Dalit and women empowerment. The programme was organised by the department of Language and Culture and the Eashwari Bai Memorial Trust.
“My mother always believed that women had to be economically independent if they had to come up in society and in politics. Drawing inspiration from her, we established the Eashwari Bai Memorial College of Nursing,” said former minister J Geetha Reddy, the daughter of Eashwari Bai.
Home Minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali, the chief guest for the event, spoke about how Eashwari Bai had started a school for the poor and marginalised in Secunderabad, and went on to be elected MLA from Yellandu Assembly constituency in 1967 and 1972.
“We should draw inspiration from her. People never forget those who do great service to humankind,” he said.Buddhavanam special officer Mallepalli Laxmaiah recalled how Eashwari Bai became the MLA from the Republican Party of India which was founded by Dr BR Ambedkar, inspired by his ideology.
During the event, this year’s Eashwari Bai Memorial Award was presented to KK Raja, a philanthropist and founder of Latha Raja Foundation, which has been doing great service to the poor and marginalised in the field of education among others. In a message, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao paid tributes by hailing Eashwari Bai as a person who strove for the upliftment of Dalits and the downtrodden communities throughout her life.