God of the Poor
Mr. Vallepu Nagappa Contractor, Pulivendla.
I am very happy to let everyone know about my experience and relationship with Sri Y.S.C. Konda Reddy. I was one of the family members and had a good relationship with them. Chinna Konda Reddy was known as a good contractor. I worked with many contractors, but Sri Konda Reddy is different from others. For example I narrate an incident – I was with Konda Reddy along with two other contractors, building side walls in the Ghat road from Kadiri. Usually any work we take for contract we run the work fast, in order to do more work in less time. At the end of the week when we pay the wages we were planning to convince the labour for their wages on daily basis instead of unit basis. But Reddy garu refused to this idea and warned us to pay the labour on unit basis as agreed in the beginning. We all felt very happy and appreciated the generosity of Reddy garu. Every Thursday, was a sandy day in Pulivendla. Labor will be paid by the contractor every Thursday. On one Thursday I went a little late to get the payment, and Konda Reddy was already waiting for us. I often remember what he told me that day –"why don’t you take the money early, and finish your shopping and spend time happily with your wife and children at least once a week!" He loved his workers as his own family. Those days it was very common for the contractors to delay the payments or pay in installments. Reddy garu did not like it at all. 95
Another important thing with Reddy garu was that he never addressed us roughly either at work site or at home. Every time he called us either by name or respectfully “Emappa”. Those days he never let us make false reports of work like the present generation of contractors do in order to hide the mistakes. When we were working on a causeway on Jammalamadugu River, Konda Reddy said that the causeway should be strong to hold the pressure and currant of water when it floods. He wanted us to maintain the quality because he didn’t want to get a bad name. We were working on a lake in Kottha Palle (Vemula). When he came to see the work, he told us that we should finish the work faster than the other four similar works sanctioned to different contractors in the State. Thus he was mindful of keeping his precious reputation as contractor. Once Konda Reddy was very happy and I remember the words he said, “Your batch worked really well and all of you have successfully fulfilled my commitment.” He always was mindful of his work as commitment. He was really an AKUNTITHA DEEKSHAPARUDU I saw him working hard for his family. He used to travel on bicycle to work. He used to drop his father in Vemapalli from Balapanur. From there, he used to go to another village to finish his work and bring his father from Vempalli to Balapanur. This was a ride of about 40 kms. He was a staunch believer of Jesus Christ. He always walked to the church until his old age. He used to tell us that “God is great and we should follow him. God will bless us, if we have the relationship with him”. He always prayed for the welfare of others and for the good behavior of others. 96
He wished very much that his children would study well and attain high positions. I went to Gullbarga with Raja Reddy to try for M.B.B.S. seats for Konda Reddy’s daughter Sugunamma and late Sri Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. We came back with good news of confirming the seats and he was very happy and proud of his daughter Sugunamma. I remember the words “She really brought reputation to the family”. He worked day and night for his family. I am so glad that I never saw poor people going back with empty hands when ever they approached Konda Reddy. A relative of mine, (Venkata Nagulu's father). Mr.VenkataNagulu was working for Konda Reddy. He didn’t have enough money to finish his post graduation and met Konda Reddy for help. He helped him finish his Post Graduation and now he is retired as a Junior College principal. In this way Sri Reddy helped many poor students. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. Psalms 41:1,2