HYDERABAD: Veteran Maoist ideologue Regulagadda Someshwara Rao, popularly known as RS Rao, passed away due to ill-health in a hospital in New Delhi on Friday afternoon.Rao (74), who worked as economics professor in Sambalpur University in Orissa for nearly 30 years, was a key interlocutor in the kidnap and release of Malkangiri collector Vineel Krishna by Maoists in February this year. Rao was born in Visakhapatnam district and presently staying with his son, Vijay, a professor in the Central University here.Rao authored seven books along with his wife, Dr Bharathi on the economic policies of the government.Five of them were penned in English while the remaining two were in Telugu. He recently wrote a book ‘Abhivruddhi- Velugu Needalu.’ Revolutionary writer Varavara Rao said Rao was one of the few who took a critical view of Pandit Nehru’s remarks that major irrigation projects are modern temples."In Rao’s view, the projects are temples but just like those who constructed them are barred entry into them, the sections which are supposed to be benefited by these projects will not get the fruits of it,’’ Varavara Rao said. Rao wrote several articles on the post-1991 economic and liberalisation policies initiated by the PV Narasimha Rao government.“He vehemently opposed the policies as they would not reach the rural people of the country,’’ Varavara Rao said.Rao was fond of Sri Sri’s `Mahaprasthanam’ and Gurazada’s Kanyasulkam.Rao developed health complications three weeks ago. He was initially treated in the city for lung infection and later shifted to Delhi, where his daughter, Kavitha resides. He later developed kidney and lung complications and the end came around 1.45 p.m on Friday in a private hospital in Delhi.
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