Former Human Rights Forum president Madhava Rao passes away

Civil rights leader Gorrepati Madhava Rao, known for fighting for justice, passes away at 67 in Nizamabad.

Noted civil rights leader and former president of Human Rights Forum senior lawyer Gorrepati Madhava Rao (67) passed away on Saturday in Nizamabad while undergoing treatment.

The leading lawyer suffered a stroke on Friday and was admitted into a private hospital in Nizamabad and passed away this morning. The mortal remains of late Madhava Rao would be donated to Government Medical College, Nizamabad on Sunday while the eyes were donated today to the Lions Club. His parents moved from Repalle in Guntur district and settled down in Baswapur in Kotagiri mandal of Nizamabad district in 1957, months after he was born.

Born on March 4, 1957, Mr. Madhava Rao was attracted towards the Left movement influenced by the towering personality of Jampala Chandrashekhar Prasad, founder of Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) during his college days.

He completed his graduation from City College, Hyderabad and went to obtain a degree in Law from Osmania University. During his college days, he actively participated in the PDSU movement in the university.

Returning to Nizamabad in 1992, late Madhava Rao began his practice in Nizamabad District Court. Known for voicing his opposition to alleged encounters of naxalites and sympathisers, he worked closely with Civil Liberties leader late Balagopal and others. He fought cases on behalf of the families of the alleged police encounters and in some cases secured compensation for the victims. He is also credited with arguing the Aurangabad Conspiracy Case.

He argued on behalf of five members of the Revolutionary Writers Association (Virasam) and a former CPI (Maoist) State Committee member, who were arrested in 2005 in Nizamabad and charged under Sections 120 (B), 121 (A) and 122 of IPC on June 2.

Arguing the case, Mr. Madhava Rao had pointed out that there was no material available to the effect that all or any of the accused procured arms, men or ammunition or made any preparation to wage war against the Government of India. The judge in 2010 acquitted the five accused persons — Virasam convener Pinakapani and its members — Yamasani Surender, Chenchaiah, N. Venugopal and Ravikumar besides CPI (Maoist) State Committee member Ganti Prasadam.