RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: While most retired government employees eagerly await every Dearness Allowance hike, Pay Revision Commission arrears or carefully preserve their gratuity and provident fund savings for the future, retired headmaster Dunna Veerabhadra Rao chose a remarkably different path. Instead of accumulating wealth, he decided to distribute it among those who needed it the most.
A native of Kuthukudumilli village in U Kothapalli mandal near Pithapauram, the 67-year-old completed his B.Sc at Kakinada and B.Ed at Vizianagaram before serving in several government high schools across the East Godavari. He retired as headmaster in 2019 after nearly four decades of dedicated service. His wife passed away last year and they have no children. Living alone in his house, Veerabhadra Rao found a new purpose in serving society.
“I have no children. I lost my wife. At this stage of life, we cannot achieve anything by accumulating more wealth. It is better to distribute what remains among the needy,” he says. His retirement benefits became a source of hope for hundreds of people. One of his first initiatives was the renovation of the village function hall at Kothapalli with a cost of Rs 20 lakh which is useful for weddings, community gatherings and social functions.
The death of his wife inspired another act of compassion. Disturbed by the poor condition of the village cremation ground during her last rites, he spent nearly Rs 16 lakh to renovate the crematorium, ensuring that every individual receives dignity even in death. His generosity, however, began long before retirement.
Since joining the teaching profession in 1983, Veerabhadra Rao has contributed to every school where he served by donating tables, books and laptops to improve educational facilities. He later established an Old Students Service Organisation, which continues to support government schools with infrastructure.
Every year, the organisation also provides scholarships to students pursuing Intermediate, Degree and B.Tech, believing that education remains the greatest investment for society. His concern extends beyond education. He has deposited Rs 25,000 each in the names of four orphaned girls to support their future and has spent nearly Rs 7 lakh helping poor families meet medical emergencies and other hardships.
Veerabhadra Rao is committed to promoting eye donation. Thanks to his sustained awareness efforts, four elderly people have already donated their eyes. He now hopes to organise a major public awareness campaign to encourage many more people to pledge their eyes, believing that “even after death, one can continue to bring light into another person’s life.”
Receiving a monthly pension of about Rs 60,000, he believes that money finds its greatest value when it serves others. “What will I do with all this money? Only philanthropy and charity give me real satisfaction,” he says emotionally. His life beautifully reflects the timeless proverb, “The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.”
By investing in people rather than possessions, Dunna Veerabhadra Rao has created a legacy of compassion, dignity and hope. In an age often measured by personal wealth, he reminds us that the richest reward is not what we save, but what we selflessly give away. “No one who comes to my doorstep seeking help should return empty-handed,” he said.
