Telangana martyr Constable Kistaiah’s daughter realises her dream, thanks to KCR

KARIMNAGAR: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is not just a champion of a separate Telangana state but even a saviour of the masses, having rescued the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the statehood cause. One such is the case of Dr Priyanka, the daughter of police constable Kishtaiah, who turned his service revolver on himself and laid down his life on December 1, 2009, on the third day of KCR’s indefinite fast for a separate Telangana state. Fourteen years later, on May 3, 2023, his daughter Priyanka began a new phase in her life as a contract medical practitioner at the newly-launched community hospital (basti dawakhana) in Teegalaguttapalli of Karimnagar.

Priyanka’s success story is truly amazing for more reasons than one. In fact, it has multiple trappings of myriad emotions. There is this selflessness of a father who did not hesitate to take his life to press for the statehood cause and the resilience of a distraught family that rose from the ruins. But what makes it awe-inspiring is the determined efforts of one man who took the family under his own wings and helped it at every critical phase with unflinching responsibility. It was KCR, the triumphant crusader of a separate Telangana, who also doubled up as the sole guardian of Priyanka’s once-distraught family.

Priyanka’s father Kishtaiah, a police constable at Machareddy police station in Kamareddy, was suddenly seen perched on top of a cell tower on December 1, 2009, incidentally, the third day since KCR began his indefinite fast. Disheartened by the Centre’s silence over KCR’s agitation, Kishtaiah shot himself with his service revolver and sacrificed his life.

Speaking to Newstap, Dr Priyanka, who was a 7th class student then, recalls the horrific incident and the acts of KCR’s succour that followed it, with vivid memory. “We were shattered and orphaned. Despite repeated requests, my father shot himself dead between 1:30 and 2 am. He did not hesitate even for a second to orphan us for the larger benefit of all the Telangana people. We never felt we would be able to stand up on our feet again. Today, after 14 years of my father’s death, if me and my family are happy, it was because of KCR sir.

“Sir took us under his wings like his own family. He referred to my mother as his daughter and me as his granddaughter. He not only consoled and assured us of all possible help but he walked the talk at every crucial phase of our lives, be it with our education or employment. I will be forever indebted to him,” said Dr Priyanka, expressing her gratitude to the BRS chief.

The family had met KCR about 8-9 times since then while Dr Priyanka had the privilege to interact with him on four or five of those occasions. When she first met KCR in 2010, she was in 8th class and her brother in 7th. “KCR sir was moved by my father’s sacrifice for the Telangana cause. He consoled us and assured my mother that he would fulfill my father’s aspiration to see that we are educated well and settle down in life.

“With KCR sir’s initiation, I studied at Gautam Model School in Karimnagar and after achieving a 9.8 GPA in SSC exams, Sri Gayatri Junior College came forward to provide free education. It was my father’s dream for me to study medicine. When informed about this, KCR sir instantly offered to fund my education and bear all my expenses for this. He spoke to the management of Chalmeda Ananda Rao Institute of Medical Sciences and facilitated my seat under B-CAT (Category B),” Priyanka said.

Having finished her MBBS in 2021, Dr Priyanka was subsequently selected through the job notification for recruitment of doctors for community hospitals (Basti Dawakanas). “KCR sir’s words of wisdom inspired me to aim for the Basti Dawakana job. Sir told me that I should make my dad proud. I chose the government job to serve the people better, which was also my father’s wish,”

Incidentally, it was KCR who inspired Dr Priyanka to take up the medicine seat in Karimnagar so that she would be able to take care of her mother, Padmavati. “KCR sir suggested to me to opt for the medicine seat in Karimnagar so that my mother would not have to live alone,” recalls Priyanka.

The BRS chief was also instrumental in Kishtaiah’s wife Padmavati securing a government job on compassionate grounds in the Board of Intermediate Education besides ensuring the allocation of a house site promised to them after he became the chief minister. Priyanka’s brother Rahul was also accommodated as a junior assistant in NCC Headquarters in Nizamabad soon after he completed his Intermediate education.

Having taken up a doctor’s job in Teegalaguttapalli basti dawakana only recently, Priyanka nurses the twin dreams of serving the society, especially the poor with passion, and also aiming for a postgraduate course.

Kishtaiah’s wife Padmavati is equally elated at the way KCR took care of her family and bailed them out of difficulties. “It has been 14 years since my husband laid down his life for the Telangana cause. Both my children were very young then. I just cannot imagine how our lives would have been, had it not been for KCR sir’s support at every stage of our lives. He spent Rs 25 lakhs, at Rs 5 lakh each year, for my daughter’s education in MBBS. We cannot thank him enough and express our gratitude to KCR sir in words,” she said.