Former Union Minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao Dies At 82, Andhra Pradesh CM Expresses Condolences
Kavuri Sambasiva Rao had been suffering from illness for the past few days and he breathed his last at Star Hospital in Hyderabad today.
Published : March 11, 2026 at 2:15 PM IST
Hyderabad: Former Union Minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao passed away on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad. He was 82.
Family sources said he had been suffering from illness for the past few days and breathed his last at Star Hospital. His demise has evoked condolences from leaders across party lines in India.
Rao was born in 1943 in Dosapadu village of Pedaparupudi mandal in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district. After completing engineering from the Regional Engineering College (REC) in Warangal, now known as the National Institute of Technology Warangal, he entered the business sector and built a successful career, particularly in construction and healthcare industries. Later, he entered politics.
Kavuri had a long association with the Congress and played an active role in the party for several decades. He was elected as a Member of Parliament five times, winning three terms from Machilipatnam and two terms from Eluru. During the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he served as the Union Minister for Textiles and contributed to several initiatives in the sector.
Kavuri also served as a member of the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament and supported the establishment of the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly initiative. In 2014, opposing the bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh, he resigned from Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He, however, had stayed away from active politics in recent years.
సీనియర్ రాజకీయ నేత, కేంద్ర మాజీ మంత్రి కావూరి సాంబశివరావు గారి మృతి అత్యంత బాధాకరం. మచిలీపట్నం, ఏలూరు పార్లమెంట్ నియోజకవర్గాల నుంచి 5 సార్లు ఎంపీగా గెలిచి, కేంద్రమంత్రిగా పనిచేసిన కావూరి సాంబశివరావు గారి మరణం తీరనిలోటు. రాజకీయ, వ్యాపార రంగంలో కావూరి గారిది ప్రత్యేక ముద్ర. ఈ విషాద… pic.twitter.com/qhJB6IqyVH
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 11, 2026
Leaders cutting across party lines expressed grief over his demise and paid tribute. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over Rao's demise. In a condolence message on his X handle, the CM said, "The demise of senior political leader and former Union Minister Shri K. K. Kavuri Sambasiva Rao garu is extremely heartbreaking. Having won as MP five times from Machilipatnam and Eluru parliamentary constituencies and served as a Union Minister, the passing of Shri Kavuri Sambasiva Rao garu is an irreplaceable loss. Shri Kavuri left a distinctive mark in the fields of politics and business. In this hour of grief, I extend my deepest condolences to his family. I pray that Shri Sambasiva Rao garu's soul attains eternal peace."
మాజీ కేంద్రమంత్రి, బీజేపీ నేత కావూరి సాంబశివరావు గారు అనారోగ్యంతో కన్నుమూశారని తెలిసి విచారం వ్యక్తం చేస్తున్నాను. 5 సార్లు ఎంపీగా, కేంద్రమంత్రిగా వారు ప్రజాసేవకు జీవితాన్ని అంకితం చేశారు.
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) March 11, 2026
రాజకీయంలో వారికున్న సుదీర్ఘ అనుభవంతో.. ప్రజాసమస్యలపై పార్లమెంటు లోపలా, బయటా తన గళాన్ని… pic.twitter.com/vgNj3OIjj1
Extending his condolences to Rao's family members, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said, "With his long experience in politics, he made his voice heard both inside and outside Parliament on public issues".
Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh also expressed grief over the veteran leader’s death. He noted that Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, who served as MP five times, had made immense efforts for the progress of the state and left an indelible mark on the development of his constituencies.
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