YSR death anniversary: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy leads tributes in Delhi
Synopsis
Across Delhi and Hyderabad, Telangana's Congress government united to honour YSR on his death anniversary — invoking his Padayatra, Arogyasri, and farm loan waivers as the gold standard of welfare governance. The tributes are as much about political identity as they are about remembrance.
Key Takeaways
Revanth Reddy garlanded YSR's portrait at his official residence in Delhi on Wednesday .
YSR is credited with landmark welfare schemes including Arogyasri , loan waivers , fee reimbursement , and major irrigation projects .
Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka posted tributes on X , calling YSR's Padayatra 'a guiding light' for the current government.
TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud said YSR 'dedicated his life and even his last breath to the welfare of the people.' Ministers including Ponnam Prabhakar garlanded the YSR statue at Panjagutta in Hyderabad .
YSR died in a helicopter crash in September 2009 and remains a defining political figure in Telugu politics.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday paid solemn tribute to former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), honouring the late leader's enduring legacy of welfare governance and large-scale development. The tribute was offered at Revanth Reddy's official residence in Delhi, where he garlanded YSR's portrait.
What Revanth Reddy Said
Speaking at the event, CM Revanth Reddy described YSR as a transformative leader whose imprint on the lives of ordinary people remains unmatched. He highlighted landmark development initiatives under YSR's tenure — including major irrigation schemes and the Outer Ring Road — alongside welfare programmes such as loan waivers, fee reimbursement, and the flagship health scheme Arogyasri.
Senior figures from the Congress were present at the Delhi tribute, including Minister G. Vivek Venkatswamy and Members of Parliament Dr Mallu Ravi, Suresh Shetkar, Porika Balram Naik, and M. Anil Kumar Yadav.
Deputy CM and TPCC Pay Homage
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka described YSR as 'the champion of the poor and the architect of welfare schemes,' offering what he called heartfelt tributes to the late leader. In a post on X, Vikramarka wrote that YSR's legendary Padayatra — which he said 'wiped away the tears of farmers' — and his welfare-centred governance would 'always serve as a guiding light for our people's government.'
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud said YSR 'dedicated his life and even his last breath to the welfare of the people.' He added: 'His unwavering commitment to farmers, women, the underprivileged and the weaker sections remains an enduring legacy. YSR Garu will always live on in the hearts of the people.'
Tributes at Panjagutta in Hyderabad
Separately, Telangana ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, V. Sridhar, and Adluri Lakshman Kumar, along with senior Congress leaders, garlanded the YSR statue at Panjagutta in Hyderabad and paid rich tributes to the late leader.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said YSR's services to farmers, women, students, and the poor 'will never be forgotten,' adding that YSR 'regarded the people's hardships as his own and brought light into their lives.' He described YSR's path of public service as 'a constant source of inspiration.'
YSR's Legacy in Context
YSR, who served as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, is widely credited with expanding welfare delivery at scale — from subsidised healthcare through Arogyasri to farm loan waivers that provided relief to thousands of distressed agriculturalists. His Padayatra, a months-long walkathon across the state before his electoral victory, remains one of the most celebrated grassroots political campaigns in Telugu political history. He died in a helicopter crash in September 2009. Notably, the Congress-led Telangana government's annual tributes serve a dual political purpose: honouring a revered figure while reinforcing the party's welfare credentials ahead of future electoral cycles.
The tributes this year come as the Telangana Congress government continues to frame its own governance agenda around welfare delivery — an approach it explicitly traces back to YSR's model.
Point of View
Revanth Reddy and his cabinet are simultaneously honouring a popular leader and drawing a contrast with rival parties. What mainstream coverage underplays is the competitive dimension: YSR's name still commands enormous loyalty in both Telugu states, and the Congress knows that owning his memory is as valuable as any policy announcement. The question is whether the current government's welfare delivery can eventually stand on its own terms, or whether it will remain perpetually in YSR's shadow.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR)?
Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, widely remembered for welfare schemes such as Arogyasri, farm loan waivers, and fee reimbursement, as well as infrastructure projects including the Outer Ring Road. He died in a helicopter crash in September 2009 and remains one of the most influential figures in Telugu political history.
Why did Telangana CM Revanth Reddy pay tribute to YSR in Delhi?
CM Revanth Reddy paid tribute to YSR on his death anniversary, garlanding YSR's portrait at his official residence in Delhi on Wednesday. The event brought together senior Congress ministers and MPs to honour YSR's legacy of welfare governance.
What welfare schemes is YSR remembered for?
YSR is credited with several landmark welfare initiatives during his tenure as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, including the Arogyasri health scheme, farm loan waivers, fee reimbursement for students, and major irrigation projects. His Padayatra — a months-long walkathon across the state — is also considered a landmark moment in Telugu political history.
Who else attended the YSR tribute events?
In Delhi, Minister G. Vivek Venkatswamy and MPs including Dr Mallu Ravi, Suresh Shetkar, Porika Balram Naik, and M. Anil Kumar Yadav were present. In Hyderabad, ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, V. Sridhar, and Adluri Lakshman Kumar garlanded the YSR statue at Panjagutta, along with senior Congress leaders.
What did Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka say about YSR?
Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka described YSR as 'the champion of the poor and the architect of welfare schemes.' In a post on X, he said YSR's Padayatra and welfare governance would 'always serve as a guiding light' for the current Telangana government.
