M. Santhi Ramudu

Dr. M. Santhi Ramudu (better known as Santhi Ram) is an Indian educationalist and philanthropist best known as the founder of Santhi Ram Group of Educational Institutions which include Nandyal Public School, Rajeev Gandhi Memorial College of Engineering and Technology, Santhiram Medical College & General Hospital, The Nandyal Junior College, Santhiram College of Nursing, Santhiram Engineering College and RGM International School located at Nandyal. Ramudu is the president of Andhra Pradesh Private Engineering Colleges Managements Association. He is also well known for providng free cleft lip and palate surgeries to the poor and needy children.

Ramudu was born on 8 July 1954 at Nandyal village in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh as fifth son of Sri M. Lingamurthy. The sufferings and illiteracy of the lower caste people of Nandyal influenced Ramudu which ultimately forced him to take a vow for the upliftment of lower castes by the way of education. He came to the conclusion that imparting education is the only tool to eliminate feudalism and that too peacefully. In his vision education is for peace. With this motto, Ramudu started a public school in his village at Nandyal in 1986 which was the first of its kind there with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliation under Parameswara Educational Academy. In the year 1992, he started a Junior College in Nandyal. When he realized that his village people are lagging behind in the professional courses, he established a professional coaching centre in Nandyal in 1994 so as to enable his village students to compete with urban students in professional courses. In the year 1995 he started Rajeev Gandhi Memorial college of Engineering and Technology. The foundation stone of the college was laid by Late Shri P.V.Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India .

People in his village used to travel long distance for medical treatment till the year 2000. Seeing their hardships, Ramudu started a hospital called Shanthiram General Hospital in that area in 2001 and later got it upgraded to a medical college, Shanthiram Medical College, in 2005 with the permission of Government of India and the Medical Council of India.