Andhra Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with his mother YS Vijayalakshmi and other family members paid tributes to his father, the late Andhra CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy, on his 71st birth anniversary.

CM Jagan’s family members, including YS Bharati and YS Sharmila and even party leaders like MP YS Avinash Reddy, participated in prayers to mark the day.

The event stood witness to the emotional moments, as the book ‘Naalo.. Maatho YSR’ (Within me... with me.. YSR) a tribute penned by the late leader’s wife YS Vijayalakshmi, was unveiled by son YS Jagan in his capacity as the Chief Minister.

YS Rajashekara Reddy on September 2, 2009, lost his life in a chopper crash in the Nallamalla forests during his second term as the Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking after the launch of the book, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said his mother wrote the book about his father with whatever she learnt during the long journey she shared with him. While stating that it is a happy moment to unveil the book on his father’s birth anniversary, he said, "The outside world knew my father as a great political leader. But the good in him, the father in him, a husband, a good person that my mother saw in him during her long journey with him is what she has written about in this book.”  

The book is a narrative of the life and times of Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and the turn of events in the aftermath of September 2, 2009. Thanking those who admired YS Rajashekar Reddy, YS Vijayalaskhmi recalled the late YSR's words and said that he has uplifted many lives.

"He used to say that his life is an open book and each chapter is attached to the lives of the people. In this book, I have written about three aspects, the YSR I know, the YSR I loved, and his bond with me and family along with his attachment with the people,” she said.