Chandrababu Naidu Biography : Early Life , Education , Family and Political Career

Having one of the most powerful Chief Ministers throughout history of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Chandrababu Naidu was born on April 20, 1950, in Naravaripalle in small village of Chittoor district, Rayalaseema of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Chandrababu Naidu is one of the most successful Indian political leaders as well as most influencing political leaders in the history of India.

His biography is that of a man with strong will, resiliency, and change, a son of a small farming family who had been turned into a living example of an energetic political make-up who brought new ideas to administration and economic prowess.

 Chandrababu Naidu Background / Socioeconomic / Family Background

Chandrababu Naidu came into this world in a middle class farming family which is of the Kamma community the people of this tribe were always associated with the occupation of farming and entrepreneurship in southern Andhra Pradesh. His father, Nara Kharjura Naidu, used to be a small-scale farmer, and Amanamma, his mother, was a housewife, who played significant role in administration of the family and who taught the children the value of respect and hard work.

Naidu was the first child out of four; two elder sisters and an elder brother. As the firstborn, he had profound responsibilities early in his life as he assisted his father in farm activities and at the same time concentrating in his studies. This duality shaped his personality and preached to him the value of time, patience and commitment, which would eventually serve in his political career.

Learning in Rural Community

Naidu grew upon Naravaripalle, where he had serious difficulties to reach to good education. The village was at that time deprived of even elementary school. Consequently, he took a few kilometers daily to take classes in the adjacent village of Seshapuram where he learnt upto 5 th grade. Naidu, an inquisitive and hard working student, despite the physical challenges and infrastructural shortage, showed leadership qualities at a young age and an ambition to reach to the top.

During his 2nd education, he passed trough Chandragiri Government High School and he attended his school education until 10 th standard. His commute to school on foot was maintained and it is mentioned that he normally brought with him basic home-made fast foods in a lunchbox, which characterized the parsimonious and self-disciplined lifestyle of his family.

This was the time when Naidu was getting more conscious about social and economic disparities of rural places. The inequality of the poor and wealthy and the hardships of farmers as in the case of his own family, made an indelible mark on him and planted early seeds of interest in social justice and governance.

Years at College and Developing as a Student

Naidu went to the nearby town (Tirupati) to get a high education after school. He joined Sri Venkateswara Arts College and completed his degree in Economics as a Bachelor. He then pursued further studies at the Sri Venkateswara University where he received a Master degree in Economics. But in his days at the university Naidu developed a wider perspective of life and he joined student movements and involved himself in the student politics on the college campus.

His study in the field of economics provided him a basic knowledge about the development policies, the public finance, and the economics of agriculture which would form the nexus of his governance as a Chief Minister. This is where he also learnt to have good communication and organisational skills, which endeared him among his colleagues and lecturers.

Chandrababu Naidu Political Activism at an early age

During her stay at the university, Naidu got more interested in politics. Later in 1974, he enrolled in a Ph.D. course in Economics to do his research on the economics of Professor N. G. Ranga, who was a distinguished freedom fighter and a leader of the peasantry. His graduate research work, although he had not been able to get the doctorate program because of his increasingly active political lifestyle, was on the findings of grasses root economical problems.

His political career started in official form through the Indian National congress. Naidu in the mid 1970s joined active politics with the Youth Congress, and was elected a local leader in the Chittoor district during the Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He got the attention of the top luminaries within the party by the way he identified with the people, explained their policies and mustered grass-root support.

Invitation to the Electoral Politics

At the age of 28, Chandrababu Naidu fought his maiden election in the year 1978 and was elected as a Member of the legislative assembly (MLA) in Chandragiri constituency making him one of the youngest MLA in Andhra Pradesh. Having been an MLA at a very young age, his performance was characterized by energy and zeal. Soon after, he became state minister in the government of Chief Minister T. Anjaiah occupying the portfolios of Technical Education and Cinematography.

Being Minister of Cinematography he interacted with Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) the doyen of Telugu film industry who founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982. In 1980, Naidu got married to Bhuvaneswari, the second daughter of NTR reinforcing his personal and political relationships with one of the most well-known figures of Andhra Pradesh. This marriage was to become very critical as it led to his inclusion into the TDP ranks.

The basis of a political career It happens that one has to start someplace.

Even though Naidu was defeated in the 1983 elections in the TDP wave, he became a member of the party shortly afterward and soon emerged to be one of the most influential leaders of the party. His managerial capabilities and his outward thinking that was characterized by advancement in technology enabled him to move up the ranks of the party in no time. By mid-eighties, he was overseeing the activities of the party, its campaigns and this was the beginning of his ascension to the top.