Bayya Suryanarayana Murthy

Bayya Suryanarayana Murthy, a.k.a. B. S. Murthy (29 October 1906 – 1979) was a journalist, poet, short story writer, essayist, and a six-term Parliamentarian He was born in 1906 to B. Nagaiah at Nagaram in Razole taluk, in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.

He was awarded B.A, and B.Ed degrees from Government Arts College at Rajamundry, Christian college and at a law college in Madras. His proficiency in English earned him a gold medal and also for inter-collegiate debates and elocution won various trophies. He served also as the vice-president of the Andhra Provincial Journalists Association.

In the year 1937 he was elected the member of parliament of Madras Legislative Assembly under the affiliate party Indian national congress. He then became the minister for industries and labour of Madras Government in 1937 to 1939 and also in 1946 to 1947.

He was involved in the Indian freedom movement and took part in an individual satyagraha. In 1940 and 1942 he quit the Indian movement and was imprisoned for a period of about two years. In 1952, after Indian independence, he contested for the Eluru constituency and was elected to the 1st Lok Sabha. In 1957 he contested the Kakinada seat as an Indian National Congress candidate and won the election.

In the years 1962, 1967 and 1942 he was elected to the Lok Sabha for the Amalapuram constituency. Between 1962-1967 he served as the deputy minister for health and family welfare in the union cabinet. Others positions he served in were the member of parliamentary delegation to China in the year 1956, in March 1958 ministry of community development and cooperation, parliamentary secretary and in March 1959 to January 1966 was the deputy minister for community development and cooperation. In 1962 he led a delegation to Rio de Janeiro for the social service world conference.

In May 1970 at the 23rd world health assembly in Geneva he was a leader of the Indian delegation. Due to his services in the Indian system of medicine he was awarded the Ayurveda Bandhu.

He had deep interests in youth movements and the welfare of the weaker sections and led the Satyagraha at Tirumala Venkateswara temple who were demanding for the entry of the underprivileged in 1947 and was successful in this campaign. At madras he founded the M.C. Rajah hostel for the underprivileged students.

He was a very good author and was the editor of the Telugu weekly magazine Navjivan. He introduced essay prizes on the theme on social justice at both Osmania University and the Andhra University. He was also invited for a three-month lecture tour in the United States of America. He has travelled extensively to the following countries that is Europe,Burma,China,U.K,Thailand,Geneva,Uganda,Zeruch, Frankfurt,Berne,U.S.S.R and West Berlin.

Murhty had three siblings. In 1927 he married Adilaxmi and they had five children; three sons, Late, Shri Bayya Nageshwara Rao, Late Shri Bayya Prakash Rao, Dr.Bayya Kishore and two daughters, Bayya Swarajyalakshmi and Kadevari Vijayalakshmi.

He was Hindu by religion. He wrote short stories, essays and poem as he had good command of English. Some the books which he authored include Revolt of Six Cores, Depressed and Oppressed: Forever in Agony, The Glimmer in Darkness, Always at the Helm of Service, Thou, the Curse (which was an under-print) and Andhra Virakumar (written in Telugu).

He died in 1979 and was succeeded by Kusuma Krishna Murthy. He is remembered today as a prominent leader and a parliamentarian in India. He had a very active political career and made achievements which earned him recognition for his exemplary contributions to the people of India.

References

• Suryanarayana Murthy Bayya, Luminaries of 20th Century, Part II, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005, pp:

External links

• Biodata of B. S. Murthy at Lok Sabha website.
• His book in openlibrary website
• His bio in the book titled Encyclopedia of Dalits in India