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Late Sri Padala Peda Pulla Reddy was a native of village Pandalapaka and was a source of inspiration to many youngsters. Born in 1919, in a middle class family of Late Sri Krishnamurthy and Smt Veramma, he was man of strong determination and willpower. He showed a lot of interest in education throughout his life. He consistently encouraged youngsters in the village to study, gain knowledge and contribute to the development of villages. After completing high school in Kakinada he continued his education against the will of his parents. He was one of the very few in those days to receive a bachelor’s degree in the year 1942 from a highly reputed arts college in Bandaru now called as Machilipatnam.
Later, he joined Indian Railways and for many years he travelled the country while serving the government. Yet, he enjoyed most when he returned back to his village Panadalapaka and has taken up his family profession of agriculture. He was married to Smt. Padala Saraswathi and was blessed with two sons and one daughter. During the period he lived in Pandalapaka he championed the cause of village education by helping to renovate a totally neglected elementary school, and by overseeing basic educational programs. Youngsters of those days in 50’s and 60’s carry vivid memories of frequent off-the-cuff motivational talks given by Pulla Reddy Garu in fluent English with the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He always used to tell youngsters that – one should study, understand the nature and invent something new for the benefit of humankind.
Inspired by that enthusiasm and encouragement, his younger son Sri Padala Krishna Reddy succeeded in achieving some of his goals by earning a Ph.D. in electronics and communications from IIT-Bombay. Sri Satyanarayana Reddy, his elder son carried out father’s mission in agriculture and has been taking care of the lands and other assets in both Andhra and Orissa. His daughter Smt. Nagasiromani is married to Sri Sathi Brahma Reddy and is a resident of Komaripalem. Sri Pulla Reddy passed away in the year 1972.
About twenty two years later the family had a great opportunity to be the founders of Panadalapaka High School, and the school was named after Late Sri Pulla Reddy as a living tribute to his ever lasting desire to educate the society. Over the years, the project received all around support from the villagers, the teachers and the government and turned out to be a successful village educational program particularly benefitting children from socially backward and underprivileged sections from in around Pandalapaka. It is indeed heartening to see that the village girls are stepping forward and making good use of school programs as they constitute about 60% of the student body of about 850 students.
Thus, this pilot program started in a simple way with the inspirations of Sri Pulla Reddy has grown up in reams and bounds over the last 15 years and is standing out as a dream fulfilled..
