Manthena Venkata Raju Biography 
Manthena Venkata Raju was an Indian politician, freedom fighter, social reformer and social worker from Andhra Pradesh. He also took part in many movements for social causes, and fought against untouchability and similar discriminations based on caste and creed. In 1934, he participated in a campaign to allow Harijans into temples, and he always encouraged people from all castes to inter mix socially. He also conducted marriages for widows and inter-caste people during his lifetime. In 1938, Sri Manthena Venkata Raju conducted the All India Workshop for Politics in his native village, Manthenavaripalem.
Manthena Venkata Raju was born on 20 May 1904 in Manthenavaripalem, Bapatla taluka in British India into a Telugu speaking family. His birth place now belongs to Andhra Pradesh. The name of his native village is used for coining his name. He completed his early education from his village and later pursued higher studies at National College. However in the wake up call of freedom struggle movement, he gave up his studies at the age of 17 in 1921 to participate in Non-cooperation movement. Since then he actively participated in freedom struggle movement, for which he was jailed multiple times.
In the pre-independent era, he was actively involved in regional politics and was associated with Andhra Congress party. He has served as the General Secretary of the party and also as Secretary and President of the Guntur District Congress. He introduced many well-known leaders like Sri Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Sri Alapati Venkataramaiah and Sri Venigalla Satyanarayana into politics. He used to conduct political workshops as well. He entered the State Assembly in 1946, and was a member until 1962, with two years excluded from this post. He was associated with Indian National Congress. He retired from Politics at the age of 58, in the year 1962. He passed away in 1968.
Published: November 27, 2018
Updated: November 27, 2018
