Hyderabad: Yalavarthi Nayudamma, a chemical engineer and noted scientist, got good job opportunities abroad because of his path-breaking research in leather technology. But, he returned to his motherland with a passion to serve the country. In 1951, he joined the Central Leather Institute (CLI), Madras, as a scientist. There, he made so many plans and implemented them successfully to benefit the tanners and leather industries.
Within a short period, the Madras CLI was developed into a world-class research institution. Nayudumma was appointed as director of the same company. After that, he worked as Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). From 1971 to 1977, he also served as Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
Nayudamma completed 10th standard in Turumella school. Nayudamma studied inter at Guntur AC College. He completed his B.Sc Chemical Technology course at Banaras Hindu University. Later joined Madras Institute of Leather Technology College. After this was completed, the then Madras government, recognizing his genius, sent him to Britain in 1946 for higher education and research in leather technology. There he completed special studies in leather technology and obtained a master's degree in tanning from Lehigh University, USA.
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Born on September 10, 1922, in a simple farmer's family in Yalavarru of Amartalur mandal of joint Guntur district, Nayudamma studied in the same village till fifth standard. On the occasion of the centenary of Yalavarti Nayudamma, a statue of him will be erected in Tenali of Andhra Pradesh. His parents were Raghavamma and Anjayya.
Nayudamma made the leather industry useful to many people through his research in a situation where the leather industry itself was hated. As the tanneries in Chennai came to the point of closing down due to the problem of waste, experiments were carried out on this and the waste was eliminated. The employment of many workers dependent on leather industries has been consolidated. At present, around 25 lakh, people depend on this sector for their livelihood. The Nayudamma Trust annually presents an award in the name of Nayudamma in Tenali to scientists who have made significant contributions in the field of science and technology
Nayudamma, who was also appointed as a consultant to the United Nations, worked for the development of leather industries in countries like Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Turkey, and Iran. Nayudamma was the first Telugu to serve as the Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi. He received the 'Padma Shri award in 1971. The University of Baroda awarded Dr. KG Naik Gold Medal. Also received the prestigious Rajya Lakshmi Foundation Award in 1981. Andhra, Nagarjuna, and Venkateswara Universities conferred honorary doctorates on him.
On June 10, 1985, Nayadamma died in a plane crash while returning from an international research and development conference in Montreal, Canada. Nayudamma, who was born into a simple farmer's family, grew up to become a scientist of whom the whole country is proud of. He has become a role model for many.
