Actor-politician Nandamuri Harikrishna, the son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP founder NT Rama Rao, died on Wednesday morning after he met with an accident on Annaparthi road near Narketpally in Telangana's Nalgonda district. He was 61.
Harikrishna was on his way to Nellore in Andhra Pradesh to attend a marriage, when the car he was travelling in, hit a divider and overturned. His car was attempting to overtake another vehicle when it collided with an oncoming vehicle and hit the divider. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Kamineni Hospitals where he breathed his last.
As news broke about Harikrishna's death, condolences poured in from both the Telugu film industry and politicians, as the Nandamuri family holds a prominent place in both the fields.
Harikrishna was the fourth son of NTR and his first wife, Basvatarakam. He is also the father of popular star Tarak, known as Junior NTR. Harikrishna has another son, Kalyan Ram, an actor and producer. His third son, Janakiram was a film producer who passed away in a road accident in 2014.
In an interview to TV9, Lakshmi Parvathi, Harikrishna’s step mother and NTR’s second wife, called Harikrishna the bravest among all in the family. “He was just, did not know back-stabbing and was the most loved among all children. His father’s soul must be going through agony now,” Parvathi said.
“I do not know why such unfortunate things are happening. I don’t know about TDP, but true fans of NTR will be saddened with this untimely death,” she added.
Harikrishna was also the brother-in-law of present Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and had supported the latter when an internal coup was staged within the TDP in the 90s. He was also a minister in Naidu's cabinet and later served as a Member of Parliament.
“He was with his father when the latter started his own party and was driver of the Chaitanya Ratham - the party campaign vehicle. He used to help people even at the slightest problem. It is too sad and unfortunate. I don’t know why God doesn’t have any mercy,” Paravthi further told TV9.
Lakshmi Parvathi is a writer and also the founder and president of NTR-TDP. She formed the party after the internal coup in which NTR's son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu took control over TDP in 1995.