Kotapati Murahari Rao (23 December 1933 – 24 November 2011) was an Indian philanthropist, humanist, rationalist, agriculturist, and business magnate. Rao was the founder and managing director of Pravardhan Seeds Private Limited, president of an NGO named CEASE Child Labour, Founding Chairman of the Seedsmen Association, President of the Andhra Pradesh Seedgrowers, Merchants and Nurserymen Association', Treasurer of the Rationalist Association of India, Founder & President of the Academy of Rural Development and Research (in Gudavalli), Vice-Chairman of the Institute Management Committee Government Tripuraneni Ramaswami Choudary ITI in Gudavalli (Guntur Dt), Founder & President of the Kaviraju Tripuraneni Ramaswami Choudary Trust, Trustee of the Dr. Kasaraneni Jayapradamba Trust, Advisor & Committee Member of the Dr. Rama Naidu Institute of Rural Development, the Vijnanjyothi Foundation. He was a full member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Early life Kotapati Murahari Rao Garu was born in a Gandhian family. He worked for betterment in the fields of education, health, and village development, as well as in social welfare and social development. He was a good orator, progressive thinker, and idealised figure. Kotapati Murahari Rao Garu was born on 23 December 1933 in the village of Gudavalli, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh to the late Kotapati Sitarammayya Garu and Chandramma Garu. Another significance of this particular day was that Mahatma Gandhi laid the foundation stone of the Vinaya Ashramam in Kavur when he was touring Andhra Pradesh as part of the struggle for freedom. Sri Kotapati Sitaramayya Garu inspired people to use the war funds collected during the Second World War from the local farmers by the British government for the establishment of Sri Bollina Muniswamy Naidu Memorial School in Gudavalli. Sri Kotapati Murahari Rao joined this school in the 6th grade and completed the SSLC in 1950. He graduated from Loyola College, Madras. Subsequently, he studied Paper technology in Pune (to advocate for cottage industries that were suppressed by the economic exploitation of the British). He actively participated in land donation programs as part of the Vinaya Ashram. In 1958, he invited then President of India, Rajendra Prasad, to the Vinaya Ashram to give a speech promoting the Ashram's Gandhian ideals. It was here that he adopted his trademark attire of white khaddar 'Pancha and Lalchi'. After his father's death, he worked as a science teacher at Muniswamy Naidu Memorial High School. He later worked as a co-operative auditor at Piduguralla, Narsarao