Gita Ramaswamy was born to Tamil Brahmin parents who had their ancestral homes in Kerala. Her father was an Engineer. She along with her four other sisters were educated in Madras and then in Hyderabad. She joined Osmania University. There she was part of Progressive Democratic Students Union(PDSU) and joined CPI(ML) Chandra Pulla Reddy Group. She went undergroud during Emergency and during Emergency married Cyril Reddy. Cyril Reddy studied Engineering in Osmania University. By 1976 Gita , Cyril and many others were disillusioned with the Party. Party had strict hierarchies and always thought the leaders and people were different. Cyril and Gita left the party.Both of them fled to Ghaziabad and did odd jobs and taught English to Balmiki community People.
In 1980 they returned to Hyderabad , started Hyderabad Book Trust which published titles on Left and Ambedkarite Writings in Telugu. Cyril studied Law and started the Organization Salaha for the legal resources for the poor.Gita in 1984 traveled to Ibrahimpatinam Taluk in Ranga Reddy district and started working with the Maligas , the dalit community.She worked primarily on the Minimum wages , Abolition of Bonded Labour System, Protected Tenancy. She along with the people in Ibrahimpatinam started Ibrahimpatinam Taluk Vyavasaya Coolie Sangam (ITVCS). By 1992 the Sangam was able to do much on these areas. Gita had also worked on Health, Education for the people of Ibrahimpatinam.
Gita is brutally honest in this book. She had been unconditionally loved by the people more than she loved them. She had been a catalyst making them aware of the rights, the laws , the constitutional framework and had ignited them. She had always discussed the issues with people and through meetings the methods for agitation were found. She didn't dictate them.She had faced the ire of Landlords, Politicians, Police Officers, Government Authorities. She without much support from any political party had been able to do big works in getting the rights of the people and also work on health and education for them.
Her husband Cyril Reddy Lawyer , activist, had always been with her. He had encouraged her to do what she wished to do. He had helped on all legal issues.Though she has not written much about Cyril one could see the constant support she has got from him throughout the period.
She is brutally honest throughout the book and never forgives and forgets anyone be it her family members who had subjected her to electroconvulsive therapy or the feminists who had attacked her husband before her in their home for petty issue. This book has no theories. All her work and victories were obtained through the provisions provided by the constitution, the laws. To implement the laws is where struggle is required and she had done the struggle with courage taking the people along with her.
The book also briefly but clearly tells the history ,Geography, Culture of Telengana , about the dominant castes there and also has the sections about the Andhra Pradesh Karamchedu massacre.A very important and an inspirational book.Gitamma was what i told to myself after reading the book.Should be read by all. I hope this book is translated in Tamil someday.
Land Guns Caste Woman - Gita Ramaswamy - Navayana.
Photograph- https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24151188
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