Ponnala Lakshmaiah (born 15 February 1944) is an Indian politician. He is a member of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). He is a former minister for Information Technology and Communications for the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. He was also a member of the legislative assembly of Andhra Pradesh, and a member of the All India Congress Committee."Council of Ministers" . APOnline.
Early life Ponnala Lakshmaiah was born in the village of Quilashahpur, located in the heart of the Telangana region, into the Telugu-speaking Hindu family of Ponnala Radha (Radhamma) and Ponnala Rama Kishtaiah. He Belongs to Munnuru Kapu Community.
He is married to Ponnala Arunadevi and has two children. He earned his M. S. Mechanical Engineering degree from Oklahoma State University in 1969.Andhra minister visits Oklahoma State University | IndiaPostPonnala Lakshmaiah
Having come in contact with the World Bank and its programs for developing countries, he was attracted by rural development projects in India. He returned to India and worked to generate rural employment in the region of his birthplace. With his first project, he made improvements in areas such as poultry breeding, helping employ thousands of uneducated people. He also promoted the development of the dairy industry."IT incubation tower flagged off in Warangal". Times of India. 2013-03-25.
Political career In 1980, Ponnala began working with the Congress Party. In the 1992 Congress Plenary session at Tirupati, he successfully handled the foreign delegates, including prime ministers of neighboring countries.
In 1986, he launched a protest under the name "Samagra Pochampad Karyacharana Samithi" and worked with District Leaders to modify the irrigation scheme to benefit the chronically drought-prone area. Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao laid the foundation on 30 June 1993. The project was under execution in "Jalayagnam" at a cost of Rs. 30 billion."IT growth unaffected by protests: Ponnala". The Hindu. 2013-09-15.
He served four terms in the Assembly from the Jangaon Constituency in Warangal District.
On 11 March 2014, he was named president of the newly created Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC).
On 13 October 2023, he submitted his resignation to the Indian National Congress(INC).
On 16 October 2023, he joined Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Electoral History Legislative Assembly Elections Year ConstituencyParty Votes % OpponentParty Votes % Result Margin % 2018 Jangaon 62,024 34.18 Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy 91,592 50.47 -29,568 -16.29 2014 51,379 29.82 84,074 48.80 -32,695 -18.98 2009 61,218 40.47 Kommuri Pratap Reddy 60,982 40.31 +236 +0.16 2004 60,041 56.33 Basava Reddy Adaboina 36,748 34.48 +23,293 +21.85 1999 47,136 46.24 Gadipally Premalatha Reddy 36,253 35.57 +10,883 +10.67 1994 35,632 35.85 Charagonda Raji Reddy 60,140 60.51 -24,508 -24.66 1989 45,690 50.57 Ch. Raja Reddy 39,025 43.19 +6,665 +7.38 1985 23,712 32.21 Com. Narasimha Reddy 45,929 62.39 -22,217 -30.18
Ponnala Foundation
Ponnala Lakshmaiah said that the Ponnala Foundation started by him would give away awards to mathematics genius every year in memory of the Indian math genius Srinivasa Ramanujan, in order to promote the subject among children."Ponnala Foundation Mathematics Genius Award". TSI. 2016-04-11.
Awards Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Alumnus – Oklahoma State University (School of business) – Hall of Fame
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