VISAKHAPATNAM: Educationist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and former parliamentarian from Visakhapatnam, MVVS Murthy passed away in a road accident in the State of Alaska in the United States of America on Tuesday. MVVS Murthy is also the President of GITAM Educational Institutions (Deemed University). GITAM was established in the year 1980 and was declared a deemed to be university in the year 2007.According to reports, MVVS Murthy was in the USA to attend the GITAM alumni meet in the state of California on October 6 and also meet with members of TANA. He also served as the Lok Sabha MP from Visakhapatnam for two terms, 1991-1996, 1999-2204. Dr MVV Murthy was also the President of the Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce. He was also the recipient of the best parliamentarian award and was serving as Member of the Legislative Council of Andhra Pradesh from Visakhapatnam district at the time of his death. On the political front, he will be remembered as one of the founding fathers of TDP.Dr Murthi played a key role in the establishment of various charitable trusts and foundations such as Pragati Charitable Trust, Kuchipudi Kalakshetra, MPM Trust, VBC Educational Society, GITAM Trust and GITAM Foundation. MVVS Murthi was born in an agricultural family in Moolapolam Village, Ainavilli Mandal, Konaseema area of East Godavari District Andhra Pradesh on July 3, 1939. After formal schooling at his native place, he moved on to Kakinada for higher studies and graduated in Economics from P R Govt College. He obtained Master’s Degree in Politics & Public Administration and also PhD in Economics from Andhra University Dr MVVS Murthi was a multifaceted personality combining the qualities of an industrialist, educationist, politician and philanthropist. After a brief stint as an Advocate in the High court of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, he moved on to business and established Visakha Bottling Company (VBC) in 1967 with a modest investment. Because of his hard work and meticulous planning, the VBC was a phenomenal success in the manufacturing of soft drinks and earned the sobriquet- Gold Spot Murthi. He later ventured into the chemical business in the year 1990 and also power generation (K G Basin, Konaseema group).Dr Murthy is survived by his two sons and daughter, his wife Savitri Devi pre-deceased him in the year 2007. Mourning the death of Dr MVVS Murthy former Vice-Chancellor AU and Chancellor GITAM Deemed to be University, Professor K Ramakrishna Rao observed, “It is a great personal loss, I have known him for long and the tragic accident has ensured that I have lost one of my closest friends and a great human being.” Professor Rama Krishna further announced that henceforth, the GITAM Centre for Gandhian Studies would be named the MVVS Murthy Centre for Gandhian studies.Tributes poured in from all corners of the political spectrum and Visakhapatnam MP, K Hari Babu noted, “It is an irreplaceable loss to the State of Andhra Pradesh and the city of Vizag in particular, we have lost an Iconic visionary.” The family members of MVVS murthy noted that his body was yet to arrive and sources disclosed that the Government of India is expediting the process of bringing his body back home. Three more people lost their lives in the car crash, while another is battling for his life.

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