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A part of Mahatma Gandhi’s independence movement was the struggle against social differences like caste and religion. To achieve this, he raised funds for Harijans by holding meetings in many parts of the country. In such a meeting held in Peddavadugur of Anantapur district, a young man’s mission was nothing more than to witness Gandhi’s personality and words. His name was Lekireddy Sriramireddy. He was born in 1906,in Dharmapuri village of Gooty taluk. He was the son of Lakshmi Reddy.

Inspired by Gandhi and his uncle, he joined the Andhra Congress Association in Bezawada (Vijayawada) on 21.12.1934. He participated in the Salt Satyagraha. Seawater was brought from Nellore by tankers and made into salt in Anantapur, following which it was distributed to people in packets. For this, he was lathi-charged by the British police.

As a member of the District Congress Committee (DCC), he organised the Individual Satyagraha movement in his district in 1940-41.The police arrested him, fined him Rs. 200 and sentenced him to six months of imprisonment in Allipur and Vellore jails, starting from 25.01.1941.

The Andhra Congress Committee’s famous 1942 circular stirred by the Quit India movement encouraged people to revolt against the British authorities. Lekireddy Sriramireddy exhorted the people in his district to unite and fight against the British. He held demonstrations along roads, with his followers chanting Quit India. Following this, the British brutally lathi-charged them, and Sriramireddy was gravely injured.

Later, he worked as a member of the District Congress Committee of Kadapa and the Andhra Congress Committee from 1940-49. He also served as a member of the Alcohol Prohibition Committee of Gooty taluk. He was a close friend of Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, the sixth President of India and Brahma Nanda Reddy, ex-Chief Minister of Karnataka.

He died on 11.05.1961 in a car accident near Gooty.