‘Tree man’ of Telangana: Padma Shri awardee Daripalli Ramaiah passes away
Hyderabad, Apr 12 (PTI): Padma Shri awardee 'Vanajeevi' Ramaiah died in Khammam district of Telangana on Saturday, family sources said.
He suffered a heart attack at his house in Reddipalli village, they said.
He was 87.
Daripalli Ramaiah, popularly known as the green crusader, “Chettu (tree) Ramaiah” or “Vanajeevi" in Khammam district, for planting more than one crore saplings over the last several decades, was recipient of Padma Shri Award for 2017.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy condoled the death of Ramaiah and said his demise is an "irreparable loss" to the society.
The Chief Minister further said Daripalli Ramaiah, strongly believed that survival of mankind is impossible without nature and environment, a release from CMO said.
"Ramaiah launched plantation as an individual and influenced the entire society," Revanth Reddy said adding the Padma Shri awardee inspired the youth by dedicating entire life to environmental protection.
The CM conveyed deep sympathies to the bereaved family members.
Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and several other leaders condoled the demise of Ramaiah.
In his message, Kishan Reddy said Ramaiah planted over one crore saplings during his lifetime and was at the forefront of protecting and furthering nature and the environment.
Paying homage to the departed soul, Sanjay Kumar said the demise of the green crusader, who was awarded Padma Shri, is a loss to Telangana and the cause of nature.
KCR said Ramaiah's life stands as a role model for future generations in conserving the environment.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
