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Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy (8 July 1949 – 2 September 2009), popularly known as YSR, was the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He represented the Indian National Congress party. He was elected to the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha from the Kadapa constituency for four terms and to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for five terms from the Pulivendula constituency. He also holds the record of not loosing any election through out his political career. In 2003 he undertook a three month long paadayaatra, or walking tour, across several districts in Andhra Pradesh.He led his party to victory in the next general and assembly elections held in 2004. On 2 September 2009 a helicopter carrying Reddy went missing in the Nallamala forest area. On the morning of 3 September 2009, media agencies reported that the helicopter had been found crashed on top of Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles from Kurnool. This was later confirmed by the Prime Minister's office and all five people aboard were pronounced dead at the scene.

Early life

 

Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy was born at Jammalamadugu Mission Hospital near Pulivendula, Andhra Pradesh to Y. S. Raja Reddy and Jayamma in a Christian family. His father Raja Reddy was converted from Reddy family to Christian religion. His schooling was in Bellary, where his father was a contractor for irrigation canal projects. He graduated with a degree in medical science from Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College (MRMC), Gulbarga University, Karnataka and completed his House Surgeonship at S.V. Medical College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. He was the elected leader of the House Surgeon's Association at S.V. Medical College, Tirupati.

Personal life and religious beliefs

 

Reddy was married to Vijaya Lakshmi. They have a son, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, a politician, and a daughter, Sharmila. His younger brother Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy is also an INC politician.
Reddy's parents were devout Christians and he was buried according to Christian rites. He had also visited Bethlehem and other holy Christian cities in Israel twice.Although Reddy was a third generation Christian, he is described as an "ardent devotee" of the Hindu deity Venkateswara. He regularly visited the central temple of the god at Tirupati.But, his government was also entangled in many controversies involving the affairs of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which included practicing of evangelism in Tirumala. Following these allegations, he ordered a ban on evangelism and Christian missionary activities in Andhra Pradesh's Hindu shrines.