Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday met and honoured the nonagenarian daughter, and descendants of Pingali Venkaiah, the designer of the Indian flag. Reddy honoured Sita Mahalakshmi (99), daughter of Venkaiah in traditional Telugu style by spreading a shawl around her and presented a memento.
Later, he sat beside Mahalakshmi and had a conversation with her and all her family members, encompassing up to three generations
The Indian flag designer's family members showcased Venkaiah's photographs and also a book that contained information on him.
There was jubilation and tears of joy among some family members as the Chief Minister personally visited their home.
All the ecstatic family members posed for several photographs with Reddy and served him water at their residence at PWD colony in Macherla in Guntur district.
Before departing their home, the family members brought a tri-colour which all of them symbolically unfurled.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by state Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita, Narsaraopeta MLA Vidadala Rajini, other leaders and officials.
Before the arrival of Reddy, all the family members were joyfully waiting for his arrival and Venkaiah's daughter said, "As the only daughter of the national flag designer, I am very happy to learn that the CM is arriving."
According to Mahalaskhmi, her father thought that it does not bode well to see a foreign flag fluttering in independent India and wrote a book on the national flag, including showcasing the flag to eminent people.
"With everybody's permission, he (Venkaiah) presented this flag to Mahatma Gandhi on March 31st, it has been 100 years," said the nonagenarian who struggled to talk.
Mahalakshmi's son and Venkaiah's grandson Narasimham said that all the family members are glad to see the Chief Minister visiting his mother.
"Truly, this is a surprise for us. We never expected that the Chief Minister himself will come to this faraway Macherla with a desire to honour my mother Gantasala Sita Mahalakshmi, the one and only daughter of Pingali Venkaiah, on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of designing the flag," said Narasimham.
Along with his family members, he wholeheartedly welcomed Reddy.
