Memories of a Gita Pracharak & first publisher…………..

Shri Venkatrama Sastry Chitta, popularly known as Shri C.V.R. Sastry was a very familiar figure
in contemporary social, cultural and philanthropic circles of twin cities of Secunderabad
&Hyderabad for more than four decades .

Born on 24.10.1919, he was second son of Shri Nageswara Swamy and Venkata Subbalakshmi
couple, in a remote village Satuluru near Machilipatnam of Krishna District. He was a versatile
personality with traditional education in Vedas, astrology and Vedantic philosophy along with
proficiency in English and Hindi languages.

Greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, a teenaged Sastry initiated freedom Movement

activities in his tiny village and participated in various freedom struggle programmes in
Machilipatnam of Krishna District, often courting arrests.

Shri Sastry created a near commotion in orthodox circles with his bold initiatives to eradicate
untouchablity in and around his native village. He had a special passion for Swadeshi Movement
and throughout his life, he wore handloom clothes only!

The statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru at the entrance of the Satuluru village
which have been donated and got erected by Sastry on15 August 1947 remain even today as
monuments of this freedom fighter’s zeal and commitment to the cause of the independence.

Shri Sastry entered the book publishing field in 1943 as per the advice of the renowned Founder
of Venkatrama &Co Publishers, Shri Eadara Venkatarao Pantulu, and brought out a large
number of publications in fields of education, philosophy, literature, arts etc highlighting the
Bharatiya ethos.

His proximity with the towering personalities of Telugu literary field Kavi Samrat Shri
Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Shri Adavi Bapiraju, Dr. Diwakarla Venkata Avadhani, Dr Utpala
Satyanarayanacharya to name a few, was well known and Sastryji served Godess Sarswathi in
his own way by publishing their works!

After moving to Hyderabad in 1948, Shri Sastry prepared proper ground work and
environmental climate for Dharmik activities in twin cities.

Firstly, by founding Sitarama Nama SankeerthanaSangham, Shri Sastry brought

together a wide cross section of public from various walks of life.
A large number of well known business personalities led by the reputed Juloori family, along
with social activists from different professions joined him to participate in the weekly
congregations, where a highly charged spiritual climate used to pervade!

Special programmes such as Bhagavatha Sapthahams, Sitarama Kalyanams were a big draw in
1950s and 60s in Secunderabad area hosting a large number of Spiritual Personalities to these
gatherings.
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In the pervading spiritual climate all around, Sastryji’s association with Shri Sishta Subba Rao ji,
the great exponent of SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA is an obvious consequence and manifested
itself in a series of Gita Gnana Yagnas under the banner of “ Gita Pracharaka Sangham”!

Gita, which articulates the Art of Living, is an essential discourse for those youngsters who are
entering into a phase of challenges in their lives and Shri Subba Rao ji has more than fulfilled
that unique task by his simplest and yet most effective exposition of Gita !

With Shri S.Subba Rao ji, the most blessed Exponent of Gita as Master in the Gita Gnana Chariot
and Sastryji as charioteer, the Gita Pracharaka Sangha Ratha (chariot) rolled forward in the
prevailing social climate, with challenges which were no less than those of Kurukshetra war!

The efforts of the duo won the hearts and minds of men and women at large, who could have
grasped even a Bindu (drop) of Gita Amruta, churned and bestowed on them by the revered
Shri S.Subbarao ji!

In a conducive social environment prevailing for spiritual awakening and at the initiative of Shri
Sastry, Gita Pracharaka Sangham had decided to publicize the essence of expositions of Srimad
Bhagavadgita by Shri Subba Rao ji in a book form and the first ever Publication in both Telugu
and English versions was brought out in 1957 successfully!

Keeping the motto of the Gita Pracharaka Sangham in view, the Publisher Shri Sastry also
ensured that the Holy Book is available at a very nominal price to every person who seeks to
learn the Art of Living in true spirit!

A fulfilled person, who exonerated himself successfully of all the assignments bestowed on
Him by The Almighty, Shri Shastry left for the Heavenly Abode on the Auspicious Day of Karthik
Purnima, on the 3rd November 1998.

This present Edition of Srimad bhagavad Gita is being brought out on the occasion of Shri
C.V.R.Sastry’s Centenary year, with the blessings and guidance of Kumari Shantha ji, daughter
of Swargiya Shri Sishta Subba Rao ji!

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