Hyderabad: Prof. Keshav Rao Jadhav, one of the early proponents of Telangana and a long-time activist for the cause, passed away here on Saturday after a brief illness. He was 85.
Rao Jadhav had played a critical role in the first separate Telangana movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was also instrumental in getting together many like-minded groups when the movement for a separate state picked up pace again in the early 2000s.
He was arrested 17 times during the first phase of Telangana agitation and had spent two years in jail. Rao Jadhav had led the People’s Union of Civil Liberties and was a powerful voice for the downtrodden sections of the society.
He was admitted to a private hospital in Barkapura on Friday after he complained of respiratory problem. He breathed his last on Saturday morning. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his heartfelt condolences on the demise of Rao Jadhav and recalled his services for the cause of Telangana statehood.
Rao Jadhav served as professor in Osmania Univer-sity till his retirement. Several prominent people joined in paying respects to the departed soul including senior Congress leader K. Jana Reddy and Telangana Jana Samiti president Prof. M. Kodandaram.
Several prominent people joined in paying respects to the departed soul including senior Congress leader K. Jana Reddy and Telangana Jana Samiti president Prof. M. Kodandaram.
Prof Jadhav served as professor in Osmania University till his retirement. He was the convenor of Telangana Jana Parishad which fought for statehood for Telangana in 1960s and 1970s. He worked with Telangana ideologue late Prof Jayashankar and played a key role in bringing together 17 organisations fighting for the cause of Telangana statehood in the late 90s, which eventually led to next phase of Telangana statehood agitation in 2001.
