Kothapalli Jayashankar, Indian educator and politician, died after a long illness he was , 76.

 Kothapalli Jayashankar popularly known as Professor Jayashankar (Telugu: జయ శంకర్, was an Indian died after a long illness he was , 76. academic and politician. He was the ideologue of Telangana Movement.^[1] He has been fighting for a separate state since 1952.He often stated that unequal distribution of river water was the root cause of separate Telangana movement. He was the former Vice Chancellor of Kakatiya University and an activist in the Separate Telangana Movement.
(6 August 1934 – 21 June 2011)

Early life

K. Jayashankar was born in Akkampet village, Atmakur mandal, Warangal in erstwhile Hyderabad state to Lakshmikantha Rao and Mahalakshmi in Vishwabrahmins community. He did his schooling in Hanamkonda, Warangal and his M.A. in Economics at Banaras Hindu University, M.A. in Economics at Aligarh University and Ph.D. in Economics at Osmania University, and B.Ed. at Osmania University.

Life

During the Nizam rule in Hyderabad state, it was mandatory for all schools to sing a song praising the Nizam, when the headmaster of the Markaji High School in Hanamkonda asked his students to sing the song, K. Jayashankar, then a Class VI student, defied the rule and sang Vandemataram.^[5]

Telangana movement

As a young student of intermediatem he walked out of his class in protest against state reorganization in 1952. Then, in 1962, he was part of a campaign which rocked the region. He joined the movement for a separate Telangana state in 1952, when he was a student leader.
As a lecturer, in 1968, he participated in the revived the agitation. He carried out his struggle for Telangana through research and academic studies, and by educating people on the cause. He is known as the original Telangana ideologue. He led several agitations since 1962, transforming into a mass movement after 1969 agitation.
He was associated with the Telangana movement efforts to obtain statehood for Telangana since 1952, stating with Non-Mulki go back and Idli Sambar go back movement. He opposed Vishalandhra in 1954. Professor Jayashankar started Naxals Karmagara Samithi. In 1969 Jayashankar formed a team with ten members to fight for Telangana. He was the only survivor while the others were killed in police firing. He then started Telangana Janasabha. It was banned by the Indian government. He authored a large number of articles and research papers, in English and Telugu, on various aspects of the Telangana Problem.
He was instrumental in forming the Telangana Development Forum (TDF, U.S.A.) in 1999. He was invited by the American Telugu Association (ATA) U.S.A., to speak about the Problems of regional disparities in Andhra Pradesh in July 2000 and July 2002. He was invited by the Telangana Development Forum (TDF) U.S.A. to give a series of lectures on various facets of the Telangana Movement in ten major cities of the United States during July/August 2000.
At the time of his death, he was the Chairman of Centre for Telangana Studies which is engaged in research and publication relating to problems of Telangana. He is the founder member of Telangana Aikya Vedika and was on its Executive Committee.
It was Jayashankar who offered lime juice to the TRS president when the latter broke his famous fast for Telangana in December, 2009.

Teaching career

Professor Jayashankar was Registrar of the then Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL) before being appointed Vice-chancellor of Kakatiya University in 1991.^[6][7]
(i) Taught Economics and supervised research at Doctoral Level.
(ii) Made in-depth studies on the problems emanating from regional disparities in the levels of development with special reference to A.P.
(iii)Has to his credit a large number of papers published in the areas of Economic Development and Educational Economics.

Death

He died on 21 June 2011 11.15 AM after battling throat cancer. He did not marry and remained a bachelor all his life. He sacrificed his life in pursuit of a separate Telangana State. He did not marry for the cause of Telangana State. He has an adopted son.

Positions held

(i)Vice Chancellor of Kakatiya University, Warangal (1991–94)
(ii) Registrar of Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Hyderabad (1982–91)
(iii)Registrar of Kakatiya University, Warangal (1979–81)
(iv) Principal of CKM College, Warangal (1975–79)
(v)Board of Governors: Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Hyderabad
(vi)Board of Governors: Regional Engineering College, Warangal
(vii)Planning Board: Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala
(viii)Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education
(ix)Search Committee: For appointing the Vice Chancellor of Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Hyderabad.
(x)Several Working Groups: Constituted by the University Grants Commission
(xi)Senate: Osmania University, Hyderabad
(xii)Academic Council: Osmania University, Hyderabad
(xiii)Senate: Kakatiya University, Warangal
(xiv) Academic Council: Kakatiya University, Warangal
(xv) Academic Senate: Kakatiya University, Warangal
(xvi)Governing Body: SLNS College, Bhongir (also was its Chairman)
(xvii)Governing Body: Lal Bahadur College, Warangal
(xviii)Governing Body: Sardar patel College, Secunderabad
(xix) Advisory Board: Life Insurance Corporation of India
c) Organisational: Served as –
i)President, and also General Secretary: Government College Teachers’ Association, A.P.
ii)General Secretary: Telangana Government College Teachers’ Association
iii)Member of the National Executive: All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations

 

To see more of who died in 2010 click here