Manda Krishna Madiga Honored with Padma Shri for Three-Decade Struggle for SC Sub-Categorisation.
Hyderabad:
Manda Krishna Madiga, a prominent social activist and the founder of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Government of India on Saturday for his relentless efforts in advocating for the rights and welfare of the Madiga community. Madiga’s decades-long struggle culminated in the historic sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs), a landmark achievement that finally came to fruition in August 2024.
Born into a family from the Madiga community, which falls under the Scheduled Castes category in Telangana’s Warangal district, Manda Krishna Madiga faced significant socio-economic challenges from an early age. Despite these obstacles, he became an unwavering voice for the socio-political rights of his community.
In 1994, Madiga established the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), an organization dedicated to addressing the systemic discrimination faced by the Madiga people. He raised concerns about the unequal distribution of benefits from reservation policies, particularly focusing on the need for the sub-categorisation of SCs, which would ensure fairer access to opportunities for all sub-castes within the broader SC category.
Over the years, Manda Krishna Madiga’s efforts gained widespread support, but the journey was far from easy. His relentless advocacy through protests, petitions, and public campaigns put pressure on the government, ultimately leading to the successful implementation of the sub-categorisation of SCs in Telangana in August 2024. This move is seen as a major victory for marginalized communities in the state and has had a significant impact on the allocation of reservations in education, employment, and other public services.
Speaking at the Padma Shri ceremony, Madiga expressed his gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing that the award is not just for him but for the entire Madiga community and the countless individuals who supported his cause. He dedicated the award to the struggle of backward classes and vowed to continue his work for their upliftment.
Manda Krishna Madiga’s work has been instrumental in changing the socio-political landscape of Telangana, making him a respected figure not only in his community but across the state. His receipt of the Padma Shri is a testament to his tireless efforts in fighting for justice and equality for marginalized sections of society.
