Andhra Pradesh's new chief minister was born on July 8, 1949. He comes from a small town in Cuddapah, which falls in the backward Rayalaseema region.

YSR had a ringside view of politics even as a child. His father Y S Raja Reddy, a popular leader, was known for his mercurial dynamism and dare-devilish temperament. YSR continued his father's legacy when he entered politics as a Congress youth leader.

He suffered a severe personal blow when his father was brutally murdered in a bomb attack in 1998. All 16 accused, who belonged to the rival Telugu Desam Party, were acquitted on April 12.

YSR as NCC cadet (inset) and as a participant in a weight-lifting competition.

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YSR's grandfather embraced Christianity years ago.

In an interview to rediff.com, YSR's mother Jayamma said her son occasionally fails to attend Sunday Mass. According to Jayamma, YSR says, 'Even these are God's people coming from far-away villages. How can I make them wait endlessly?'

YSR, who studied at the Jammalamadugu town mission hospital, was considered a 'good student'. After completing his schooling in St John's at Bellary, he went to Loyola College, Vijayawada. He received his MBBS degree from Gulbarga in Karnataka in 1972.

He married Vijayalakshmi in 1971; they have a son and a daughter.

YSR with wife Vijayalakshmi and son Jaganmohan. Inset, with his granddaughter.

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YSR was first elected to the assembly in 1978.

In 1983, he was re-elected from Pulivendla, Cuddapah. Rajiv Gandhi appointed him state Congress president -- the youngest in Congress history.

The aggressive YSR has another side as well. He is a disciplinarian and is both health and hygiene conscious. He is also particular about yoga and meditation. A former sportsperson -- he was a weightlifter in his student days -- he firmly believes in the idiom, 'A sound soul in a sound body.'

He enjoys reading fiction in the little spare time he gets; his favourite author is Mario Puzo, who wrote the hugely popular bestseller The Godfather. Now, he often complains to friends that he finds it increasingly difficult to steal a few quiet moments to read.

YSR addresses a public rally soon after he became the state Congress chief.

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After successive defeats at the hustings in 1994 and 1999, the morale of the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh was at an all time low. YSR made it his mission to revitalise the party.

His missionary zeal could be the reason why he seen as a 'militant politician.' It's an epithet his mother cannot understand. In fact, when asked why people call him the 'Cuddapah Tiger', Jayamma says, "I don't know. His father was called a Tiger. My son is soft-spoken unless he is angry. He is frank and occasionally bursts out, but he never harbours a grudge against anyone."

YSR talks to children at his road show during the assembly election.

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In order to touch base with the voters during the assembly election, YSR embarked on a jaitra yatra -- a 1,600-km padayatra -- in the intense heat of the Andhra summer. He used the opportunity to listen to the grievances of the people, especially the farmers, and blast Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for making 'false promises.'

The response from the electorate was tremendous; it gave the Congress a new lease of life even as it showed the TDP the door.

YSR speaks at a public meeting in Karnavarapukota.

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The jaitra yatra was a strength-sapping challenge considering the fierce Andhra summer. But YSR was sure he could do it.

He is an early riser and uses the morning hours to prepare himself for the gruelling day ahead; he knows he will only be able to rest 16 or 17 hours later.

He believes the Telugu Desam paid the price for ignoring rural Andhra. He says his priority is the farmer and the common man. Unlike Naidu, he is said to shun power point presentations.

YSR at one of the villages during the jaitra yatra.

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YSR, who is known for his fiery speeches, is the state's most charismatic Congress leader. His advocate Sambasivaiah says, "He has the ability to get votes. He is very ambitious and has long-term plans. No one can do PR like him."

Some say he enjoys filmstar-like glamour, a quality he enhances with his astute use of the Telugu idiom.

At one of his recent public meetings, he had said he would take sanyas if the Congress lost this election.But the Congress' landslide victory has ensured the Cuddapah Tiger will roar again.

YSR chats with NRIs in New York.

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