Founder member of Virasam is no more

VISAKHAPATNAM: Prominent revolutionary writer and founder member of the Revolutionary Writers’ Association (Virasam) Chalasani Prasad passed away at his house at Seethammadhara in the city on Saturday.The 83-year-old Marxist ideologue suffered a cardiac arrest at around 11 am and died before the ambulance reached his house. A former lecturer, Prasad, is survived by two daughters Navata and Mamata. Incidentally, Saturday was the 45th formation day of Virasam and he was scheduled to address a gathering in the evening. His family members donated his eyes to Mohsin eye bank. The body will be donated to the Andhra Medical College on Sunday.Prasad was born in a communist family and was influenced by his uncle (father’s brother) who was killed in an encounter in 1950s. Prasad was a student leader since his school days and acted as secretary of Praja Natya Mandali in the school. Prasad lived as a Marxist till his death. Prasad’s brother Vasudeva Rao was killed during the Telangana Armed Struggle in 1950s. His son Ravi was also killed in an encounter in Srikakulam.Prasad was arrested under Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency. He was put in jail along with well-known lawyer and poet Raavi Sastry, and politicians Tenneti Viswanatham and Goutu Lacchanna in 1975 for two years.He along with AU former engineering college principal Venugopala Rao played a key role in creating awareness among students about revolutionary politics. He was instrumental in organising Jana Natya Mandali programmes with revolutionary balladeers Gaddar and Vangapandu in north Andhra. He had direct relations with the former Maoists Cherukuri Raj Kumar alias Azad, the politburo member of CPI Maoists, who died in an encounter in Karimnagar, and Ganti Prasad, who was killed by unidentified persons in Nellore. Prasad was well-known for his revolutionary thinking, writings, critics.Prasad was born at Batlapenumarru village in Krishna district on December 8, 1932. He married Vijayalakshmi, a teacher. Prasad studied at Challapalli high school till 10th class and degree at ANR college in Gudiwada before he joined Andhra University to pursue post graduation in political science.Before becoming a lecture in political science in Mrs AVN College in the city in 1968, he worked as an LDC in the fisheries department for two years from 1957, clerk in the Railways for two years from 1960. He was directly involved in Srikakulam peasants’ armed struggle that was influenced by the Naxalbari agitation.He along with well known poets and writers Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao alias Koku, Sri Sri, Krishnabhai and Ramana Reddy started Virasam. Chalasani Prasad published 21 book on Sri Sri Samagra Sahitayam (complete literature of Sri Sri) and 18 books on Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao sahityam, 10 books on Tripuraneni Gopichand Sahityam.