Sunkam Achalu
Sunkam Achalu (3 March 1924 – 9 August 1983) was an Indian politician. He represented Nalgonda in the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament of India) 1952–1957.
Youth[edit]
Son of Kasayya, Sunkam Achalu was born in Nalgonda on 3 March 1924.[1] He didn't get a formal education, and worked as a farmer.[1] At home he managed to learn how to read and write in Urdu, Telugu, and obtained basic English skills.[2] In 1946 he married Ligamma.[1] He lived in Battuguda in Nalgonda town.[3]
Social work and political struggles[edit]
Sunkam Achalu led a long struggle for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes. He became a worker of the Indian National Congress at a young age. He left the Congress Party and became a leader of the Scheduled Castes Federation.[2] Between 1948 and 1950 he served as the President of the Nalgonda District branch of the Scheduled Castes Federation. He was also a member of the Working Committee of the Hyderabad Scheduled Castes Federation.[1]
1952 election[edit]
However, ahead of the 1952 Indian general election he was denied a SCF ticket to run for the Lok Sabha. Instead he ran as a candidate for People's Democratic Front for the Scheduled Castes-reserved seat of Nalgonda constituency.[1][4] He was the running mate of Ravi Narayana Reddy.[2] Sunkam Achalu won the seat, with the highest margin recorded throughout the country.[1][4] He obtained 282,117 votes.[5] His SCF opponent forfeited his deposit. Aged 27, Sunkam Achalu was one of the youngest Members of Parliament at the time.[2]
Whilst not a party member, Sunkam Achalu sat in the Communist Party of India parliamentary group in the Lok Sabha. He sought to influence the party to prioritize upliftment of Scheduled Castes.[2]
Death[edit]
Sunkam Achalu died in Nalgonda on 9 August 1983.[6][7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Lok Sabha. Members Bioprofile: ACHALU, SHRI SUNKAM
- ^ a b c d e Hari Sharan Chhabra (1952). Opposition in the Parliament: a unique, authentic and comprehensive biographical dictionary of M. P.'s on opposition benches. New Publishers. p. 40.
- ^ Subodh Chandra Sarkar (1952). Indian Parliament and state legislatures: being the supplement to Hindustan year book, 1952. M.C. Sarkar. p. 120.
- ^ a b Gail Omvedt (30 January 1994). Dalits and the Democratic Revolution: Dr Ambedkar and the Dalit Movement in Colonial India. SAGE Publications. p. 273. ISBN 978-81-321-1983-8.
- ^ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1951 TO THE FIRST LOK SABHA - VOLUME I (NATIONAL AND STATE ABSTRACTS & DETAILED RESULTS)
- ^ Lok Sabha Debates. Lok Sabha Secretariat. 1983. p. 1.
- ^ The Journal of Parliamentary Information. Lok Sabha Secretariat. 1983. p. 355.