K. Chandrashekar Rao (born 1954)

Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR, is an Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of Telangana state. He was born on February 17, 1954, in Chintamadaka village in Siddipet district, Telangana.

Early Life and Education: 

KCR was born to Raghava Rao and Venkatamma, both of whom were farmers. He completed his schooling from the Telangana Social Welfare Residential School in Gajwel and went on to pursue a degree in Arts from the Osmania University in Hyderabad.

Political Career: 

KCR started his political career as a youth leader in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the 1980s. He was first elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1985 from the Siddipet constituency. He served as a Minister in the TDP government from 1985 to 1999.

KCR, however, fell out with the TDP leadership in the late 1990s over the issue of statehood for Telangana. He resigned from the TDP in 2001 and formed his own party, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), with the sole aim of achieving statehood for Telangana.

KCR's relentless pursuit of statehood for Telangana finally bore fruit in 2014 when the Indian parliament passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, which led to the formation of Telangana as India's 29th state. KCR became the first Chief Minister of Telangana and has been re-elected for a second term in 2018.

Achievements as Chief Minister: KCR's tenure as Chief Minister has been marked by several noteworthy achievements. Here are some of them:

1. Mission Bhagiratha: This project aims to provide safe drinking water to every household in Telangana. The project involves laying a network of pipelines and constructing water treatment plants and storage tanks. The project is expected to benefit over 45 lakh households in the state.

2. KCR Kits: This scheme provides financial assistance and essential items to pregnant women and new mothers. The scheme has been credited with reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in the state.

3. Rythu Bandhu: This scheme provides financial assistance to farmers to help them meet their agricultural expenses. The scheme has been praised for its simplicity and effectiveness in improving the lives of farmers in the state.

4. Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project: This project involves the construction of several barrages and lift irrigation schemes across the Godavari river to provide irrigation water to over 45 lakh acres of land. The project is expected to transform the agrarian economy of the state.

Controversies: 

KCR's tenure as Chief Minister has also been marked by several controversies. Here are some of them:

1. Encounters: KCR has been criticized for the alleged extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals in police encounters. Human rights activists have accused the police of staging fake encounters and violating the human rights of the suspects.

2. KCR's Family: KCR's family members have been accused of wielding disproportionate influence in the state administration. KCR's son, K. T. Rama Rao, is a minister in the state cabinet and his daughter, K. Kavitha, is a former Member of Parliament.

3. Minority Welfare: KCR has been accused of neglecting the welfare of the Muslim community in the state. Muslim leaders have accused KCR of failing to fulfill his election promise of providing 12% reservation to Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions.

Personal Life: 

KCR is married to Shobha and has two children, a son, K. T. Rama Rao.