The Telangana government on Saturday extended medical assistance to Dr Kolluri Chiranjeevi, an activist who was part of the early phase of the Telangana movement for a separate state. Dr Kolluri is undergoing treatment for a respiratory illness at a private hospital in Hyderabad.

After speaking to Dr Kolluri’s family members, Telangana Minister for Industries and Information Technology KT Rama Rao has sanctioned Rs 10 lakh of financial assistance from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for his treatment. 

A well-known Telangana activist for over 50 years, Dr Kolluri had participated in several social movements that sprung in the state. Dr Kolluri was among the leaders who took an active role in the Telangana movement in 1969. Dr Kolluri is currently co-convenor of the 1969 Telangana Movement Founders Forum.

Being an MBBS student at Kakatiya Medical College in Warangal, Dr Kolluri had organised students in support of the Telangana movement. 

Dr Kolluri also played a crucial role during the second wave of the Telangana movement in the 2000s. He acted as a member of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) that led the movement at the time. 

Dr Kolluri was also associated with the People’s War Group (PWG), a far-left group communist founded by late Kondapalli Seetharamaiah. During his stint with the group, he remained underground for about five years. He left the group in 1977. 

After 1990, he tried to build a larger Bahujan movement under the leadership of Kanshiram, the founder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

Dr Kolluri is known to be a stalwart who is associated with three popular movements, namely the Telangana movement, the Peoples' War movement and the Dalit movement.

Telangana State Health Minister Etela Rajendar and Nizamabad MLC K Kavitha also visited the hospital and met Dr Kolluri’s family.

They assured them that Dr Kolluri's treatment will be taken care of by the government of Telangana.