Lakireddy Bali Reddy: Landlord, Philanthropist, Monster
Words by Ronita Choudhuri-Wade
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Lakireddy Bali Reddy: Landlord, Philanthropist, Monster by Ronita Choudhuri-Wade
Who was Laikreddy Bali Reddy? For many, in Berkeley, California, he was just the landlord who collected rent every month. A few hundred miles away in Andhra Pradesh, locals might say Lakireddy Bali Reddy was like a king who held power and looked after his people. Amongst the students of his nearby Lakireddy Bali Reddy Engineering College, he was an inspiration- a man from their own region making one million dollars a month in the United States. But for many vulnerable young Dalit girls in his hometown, Lakireddy Bali Reddy was a monster.
This is the true story of how one of the wealthiest landlords in Berkeley used money, power, and people to feed his needs and pervert the American dream.