India's Sixth President

NAME: Neelam Sanjiva Reddy




BORN: May 18, 1913

DIED: June 1, 1996


PRESIDENCY: July 25, 1977 to July 25, 1982



India 's sixth President was born in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh. After completing his primary education at Theosophical High School at Adyar in Madras, Reddy went to Government's Arts College at Anantpur for higher studies. He plunged into the freedom movement in 1931, participating in various nationalist activities. Reddy became the chief minister of the then newly-formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, and later from 1962 to 1964. He served in the cabinet of prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Twice elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker (1967 and 1977), Reddy became the President in 1977 after winning the elections hands down as an unopposed candidate.