Vedire Ramachandra Reddy (1905–1986) was the first landlord to donate land to the poor in 1951 as part of the Bhoodan movement in southern India.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Reddy, a social worker, received the title "Bhoodan" for his significant contribution to the land donation movement in the early 1950s in Andhra Pradesh, specifically in the village of Pochampally in the Nalgonda district. The Bhoodan movement was initiated by Acharya Vinobha Bhave, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, in Pochampally village in April 1951. Reddy made the first donation of, which later increased to . Ultimately, 1 million acres (4,000 km²) of land were donated and distributed among the poor in post-independence India.
Reddy was born on 13 July 1905, into a prominent family during the Nizam Rule in the Deccan region. He completed his legal training at Ferguson Law College in Pune. After practicing law for a few years, he resigned to work on social reform and played a role in initiating the land donation movement in Pochampally.
Reddy died on 9 December 1986. He donated 80 acres of land for the Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement.