CM Naidu mourns passing of NCC founder A.V.S. Raju
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu condoled the death of Padma Shri Dr. Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju, founder-chairman of Nagarjuna Construction Company, hailing his legacy in infrastructure, philanthropy, education and rural development.
Key Takeaways
Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju , founder and chairman of Nagarjuna Construction Company , has passed away.
Chandrababu Naidu expressed condolences on 14 October 2026 , describing the loss as deeply saddening.
Raju was a Padma Shri recipient born in Antarvedipalem, Dr.
Ambedkar district , Andhra Pradesh.
He built NCC Foundation to support education, healthcare and skill development for the underprivileged.
His philanthropic work also extended to environmental protection and rural development programmes.
A builder of modern India's physical backbone is gone. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday, 14 October 2026 expressed deep condolences on the passing of Padma Shri Dr. Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju, founder and chairman of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC), mourning the loss of a visionary industrialist whose work left an enduring mark on the nation.
Posting in Telugu on X, Chief Minister Naidu described the death as deeply saddening — 'విచారకరం' (deeply sorrowful) — and recalled Dr. A.V.S. Raju's journey from a small coastal village to the helm of one of India's major infrastructure companies. 'His contribution to nation-building and development as a committed, honest and visionary entrepreneur is unforgettable and inspiring,' Naidu wrote, offering his prayers for the departed soul and extending profound sympathies to the bereaved family.
From Antarvedipalem to national infrastructure
Dr. Raju was born in Antarvedipalem, a village in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar district, Andhra Pradesh — a detail Chief Minister Naidu placed at the centre of his tribute, anchoring a continental career to its coastal Telugu roots. He went on to found Nagarjuna Construction Company, which grew into a major force in India's infrastructure sector, executing large-scale projects across the country. The Padma Shri honour recognised both the scale of that enterprise and its meaning for the national economy.The NCC Foundation: building beyond brick and mortar
What separated Dr. Raju from a purely commercial industrialist, Naidu's tribute suggests, was the NCC Foundation — the philanthropic arm he built alongside his business. The Foundation channelled resources into education, healthcare, and skill development for the poor, extending the company's reach from construction sites into classrooms and clinics. Naidu also noted Dr. Raju's work in environmental protection and rural development, programmes that addressed the communities closest to his own origins in coastal Andhra Pradesh. His death closes a chapter in Andhra Pradesh's post-liberalisation industrial story — one written by a first-generation entrepreneur who proved that scale and social conscience could share the same balance sheet.Point of View
Naidu frames private enterprise as inseparable from social responsibility — a narrative that dovetails with TDP's long-running pitch for investor-friendly, development-oriented governance. The tribute also implicitly underlines Andhra Pradesh's desire to retain and celebrate industrial legacy figures as the state continues to rebuild its economic identity after bifurcation.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Dr. A.V.S. Raju?
Dr. Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju was the founder and chairman of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC), a major Indian infrastructure firm, and a Padma Shri awardee born in Antarvedipalem, Andhra Pradesh.
What is Nagarjuna Construction Company?
Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) is a prominent Indian construction conglomerate founded by Dr. A.V.S. Raju that executed large-scale infrastructure projects across the country.
Why did Chandrababu Naidu pay tribute to A.V.S. Raju?
AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu condoled Dr. Raju's passing, recognising his contributions to national infrastructure, philanthropy through the NCC Foundation, and rural and environmental development in Andhra Pradesh.
What did the NCC Foundation do?
The NCC Foundation was the philanthropic arm established by Dr. A.V.S. Raju that supported education, healthcare, skill development for the poor, and rural and environmental welfare programmes.
Where was A.V.S. Raju born?
Dr. A.V.S. Raju was born in Antarvedipalem, a village in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar district, Andhra Pradesh.
