A Dalit colony in a village of Anantapur district was named after Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to mark her visit on Saturday.
The Noble Laureate was greeted by the residents of a Scheduled Caste enclave in Papasanipalli villager by standing below a huge banner that had the name “Aung San Suu Kyi Colony”. Speaking on the occasion, Suu Kyi thanked the villagers for the gesture and said she would always maintain a special connection with the village.
“My name means broad collection of strange victories and I hope you will have bright and unusual victories,” Suu Kyi said. Stating that victory does not come by itself, she asked the villagers to work hard to achieve it. She also praised the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme that was ensuring the empowerment of rural poor.
Translating Suu Kyi’s speech in Telugu, Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy advised villagers to take inspiration from her life.
Suu Kyi also interacted with the women of Self Help Groups. The local officials also gave a presentation on various schemes being implemented by the State and Central Governments.
Suu Kyi was accompanied by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. She also went to Govindapuram village and interacted with the people working under the NREGS.
–Agencies