Pratap Kotamraju, teacher, former Indian diplomat and ex-freedom fighter, died peacefully at his home on Sunday November 24, 2013. He was 90 years old. He had been living in Springfield Missouri since 1986. Pratap came to Springfield with his wife, Sarada, and daughter, Padma. Sarada had just joined the faculty at Southwest Missouri State University in the Library Science Department. Pratap had retired from the Indian Foreign Service after serving in six countries - Ghana, Kenya, West Germany, Indonesia, United States, and Tunisia. He retired as the first resident Indian ambassador to Tunisia after serving the Indian Foreign Service for over 45 years. Service was in Pratap's blood. As a youth, he marched against the English when Indian was fighting for its freedom. During India's freedom struggle, Pratap's father, Mr. Kotamraju Rama Rao, was the editor of an English language daily and his editorials sent him to jail, forcing Pratap to take responsibility of his family at a very young age. That sense of responsibility continued throughout his life towards his wife, his children, his extended family, and most importantly, the community in which he lived. In Springfield, he worked on many causes and served many organizations formally and informally, including the Governor's Commission on Aging and the United Nations Association of Springfield. One particular organization that was near and dear to Pratap's heart was Mothers' Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an affiliation that grew out the death of his second son, Nirmal who was killed by a drunk driver. Another organization, Alzheimer's Association Greater Missouri Chapter, is of more recent affiliation, ever since Pratap became the primary caregiver for his wife, who suffered and succumbed to Alzheimer's in 2011. Pratap is survived by his eldest son Pradeep, his daughter-in-law Lakshmi Sarada, and daughter Padma. In remembrance of Pratap, friends are requested, if they wish, to donate to MADD, Mssouri Ozark Mountain Chapter or to the Alzheimer's Association Greater Missouri Chapter.