Well-known social activist and Padma Shri award winner Gutha Muniratnam took his last breath in a hospital in Chennai on Thursday afternoon. He was 86 years old.
As a student of Acharya NG Ranga and former MP Rajagopal Naidu, Muniratnam founded the Tirupati-based Rayalaseema Seva Samithi (RASS) as a social organization with a variety of activities in the form of contact with the mentally handicapped and the care of children, support for widows, tribal welfare, Victims of drug addiction and special care for the elderly.
As the organization grew, it spread to many other states, and its reach required it to be renamed Rashtriya Seva Samithi (RASS). In line with Dr. NG Ranga established RASS a Krishi Vignan Kendra (KVK) to promote modern farming practices among farmers. The central and state government not only made him a member of various committees, but also honored him with awards.
Tirupati MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy expressed his sadness at his death and called it an irreparable loss to the social service area.