the movement.
Activists in
Hyderabad State
Common people also fought against
Nizam in Telangana. Many
revolutionary songs were born
during that period. Sardar
Jamalapuram Kesha Rao was the
Meti leader who led the popular
movement against the last
descendant of Asaf Jahi, Mir
Usman Ali Khan. Adiraju
Veerabhadra Rao Panthulu, who
worked for the development of
Telugu language. Veldurthi Manikya
Rao wrote the book 'Freedom
Struggle in Hyderabad State'.
Many heroes fought in Telangana
against the tyrannical rule of Mir
Usman Ali Khan, the seventh
Nawab in the Asaf Jahi
dynasty. Some have given up their
jobs. Others risked their lives and
rebelled against the Nizam. Arrests
and lathi charges could not deter
them. In Telangana Maganam, the
common people ignited the flames
of revolution against the
Nizam. Many revolutionary songs
were born during this period. Some
leaders took up peaceful
movements in the Gandhian
way. Others fought the
revolutionary struggle with
arms. Whatever path they choose is
the only goal of liberating
Telangana. In this process, some
became memorable as heroes of
RajeshNayak IIA Sir. +91 9441899339
Jamalapuram Kesavarao (1908-
1953)
Sardar Jamalapuram Keshavrao
was a great leader who led the
popular movement against the
tyrannical rule of Mir Osman Ali
Khan, the last ruler of Hyderabad
State. Dhishali who mobilized the
people of Telangana villages and
fought against the atrocities of
Nizam Razakar along with Pandit
Narendraji.
"With western education, mental
weakness and narrow-mindedness
and thus violent tendencies have
prevailed in our society. Gaps
between people have widened. The
simplicity, inclusiveness and
empathy found in previous
generations are lacking in today's
society. Villages and rural economy
should improve with the result of
independence. Farmer is the
backbone of the country. Village is
the foundation of country's
prosperity. The rural economic
system should be reconstructed'.
The high-minded Kesha Rao wore a
gongadi bhujan and campaigned
widely to sensitize the people in the
villages of Telangana. He was
known as the 'Boundary
Gandhi'. Jagirdars, Deshmukhs and
landlords rose up against the
injustices of the Nizam's tyrannical
employees. He used to go to the
Tandas, Goodes, Harijans and
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 tribals in Telangana and know their
well-being and status.
A great activist who was closest to
the people in the public struggles in
Telangana in the first half of the
20th century. He entered politics at
the age of 18. Since 1938, he
fought public battles and gained
respect from the people as
'Sardar'. The people were made
aware by filling them with self-
confidence to face the atrocities and
attacks of Rajakars. He has done
countless efforts for religious
harmony in the state of Hyderabad.
In 1938 and 1947, he spent his life
in prison with bedis and a waist
belt. He loves Ramayana and
Mahabharata.
Important events in the life of
Kesha Rao
 Kesha Rao was born in 1908 in
Madhira Taluka, Errupalem (now
Khammam District) in the then
Warangal District.
 Primary education was done in
Khammam and higher education in
Hyderabad.
 Parents Venkatarama Rao and
Venkata Narasamma
 Participated in Satyagraha in 1938
at the call of Hyderabad State
Congress.
 He was sentenced to two years of
rigorous imprisonment.
 Kesha Rao went on a padayatra in
two hundred villages of Madhira
taluka and instilled fighting spirit in
the people.
RajeshNayak IIA Sir. +91 9441899339
 1945 Andhra Mahasabha appointed
Ndumala Narasingrao as President
and Kesha Rao as General
Secretary.
 In 1946, Kesha Rao was elected as
the president of the thirteenth
Andhra Mahasabha held in Kandi
village of Medak district.
 Kesha Rao was detained by the
Nizam in Warangal and Nizamabad
jails for some time. Mahakavi
Dasharathi Krishnamachari, Ram
Hiralal Morya, Kolipaka Kishanrao,
Ootukuri Narayanarao, Gandham
Manikyam and others were jailed
along with him.
 All of them were released from jail
after the police action against the
Hyderabad State in 1948.
 He was sentenced for about 13
months.
 After the police action, a military
government was formed under the
leadership of Vellodi. Then Kesha
Rao was the President of the State
Congress in Hyderabad.
 In the general elections held in
1952, he contested as a Congress
candidate from Pakala constituency
and lost. The communist candidate
won there.
 Jamalapuram Kesava Rao died on
30th March 1953 in Hyderabad.
Adiraju Veerabhadra Rao (1890-
1978)
was the son of Adiraju Veerabhadra
Rao Panthulu, a selfless patriot who
contributed greatly to the
development of the mother tongue
in the days when Telugu language
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and culture were not respected in
Telangana. In those days Urdu was
the official language in Hyderabad
and the language of instruction in
schools. In such circumstances,
Madapati Hanumantha Rao,
Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, Konda
Venkatarangareddy and others took
up the mother tongue upliftment
movement. In this background, Adi
Raju Veerabhadra Rao designed
Telugu history and research for
revival of Telugu culture
Veerabhadra Rao was born in 1890
in Dendukuru village of Madhira
taluka of Khammam district. His
father was Adiraj Lingaiah and
mother was Venkamamba. She is
the daughter of Ootukuru. Lingaiah
is an employee of Karadgiri Naka
Segedar. With the financial help of
Jagirdar Ravichettu Ranga Rao,
Veerabhadra Rao received his
primary education at Chadarghat
English Medium School in
Hyderabad. After that he worked as
a teacher for about 40 years.
'Shrikrishna Devaraya-Andhra
Bhasha Nilayam' in Hyderabad was
established on 1st September
1901. Veerabhadra Rao thoroughly
studied all the Telugu and Sanskrit
texts in it. He worked for some time
as the book administrator of Bhasha
Nilayam.
The office of 'Vignana Chandrika
Grantha Mandali' founded by
Komarraju Lakshmana Rao and
Ravichettu Ranga Rao was shifted
RajeshNayak IIA Sir. +91 9441899339
from Hyderabad to Madras in
1908. From then till 1914 he worked
in Vigyana Chandrika Grantham
Mandali in Madras. Then came
back to Hyderabad. Here he worked
as a Telugu scholar in Mahbub
College and Chadarghat High
School.
She worked for sixteen years in the
Andhra Balika School in
Narayanguda, founded by Madapati
Hanumantha Rao. Retired in 1948.
As the secretary of 'Shrikrishna
Devarayandhra Bhasha Nilayam',
Hyderabad, he worked for the
development of Telugu language in
the city. Ancient Andhra History,
Legislative Research,
Andhranagara History, Cultural
History Adiraj's favorite subjects
were the Andhra Jana Sangha
founded in 1921. In addition to that,
'Andhra Research Council' was
started. The organization worked for
the literary and cultural
development of
Telangana. Veerabhadra Rao is like
the cornerstone of Andhra
Research Council. After the death
of Komarraju Lakshmana Rao in
1931, 'Andhra Research Council'
was changed to 'Lakshmanaraya
Research Council'.
Munagala Raja Naini
Venkatarangarao worked as its
president and Veerabhadra Rao as
its secretary. Seshadri Ramana
poets were appointed by the council
to research the inscriptions in
Page 3
 Telangana. They visited different
places and collected sculptures,
inscriptions, ancient palm-texts. He
wrote commentaries with famous
historians and published a volume
with 129 inscriptions titled
'Telangana Inscriptions' in
1935. There are 57 inscriptions of
the Kakatiya period, 42 inscriptions
of the Chalukya era and 24 other
inscriptions. Adiraj Veerabhadra
Rao's contribution in designing this
volume is immeasurable.
 In 1960, a second volume with 85
inscriptions was published.
 In 1910, Veerabhadra Rao wrote
'Jeevita Charitavali'.
 In 1912 he published 'Biography of
Devotees of the Nation'.
Historical
Texts 'Shitabukhan (or) History of
Sitapati Raja' was announced by
Veerabhadra Rao on behalf of the
Lakshmana Raya Research
Council. Researched many
unprinted palm texts collected by
the Lakshmana Raya Research
Council and wrote articles for
Golconda, Sujata and Telangana
magazines.
'Prachinandhra Nagaralu' written
by Veerabhadra Rao is a famous
historical book. In this, the status of
Alampuram, Anegondi, Bhuvanagiri,
Rachakonda, Orugallu,
Kolanupaka, Kalyani, Kondapuram,
Golconda, Panagallu,
Pratishtanapuram, Khammam
RajeshNayak IIA Sir. +91 9441899339
Mettu and Velpukonda cities is
described. Munagala Raja Naini
dedicated this book to
Venkatarangarao. The book 'Mana
Telanganam' written by
Veerabhadra Rao has been
published by Desoddharaka
Grantha Mandali. In this, the natural
and historical aspects of 9 districts
of Telangana are explained.
Another book written by him is
'Greek Legends' in which he
describes the legends of Greek,
Babylonian and Roman cities.
Veerabhadra Rao wrote many
stories like Lalitha Kathavali,
Ratnaprabha, Laughter-Flowers,
Bhagyanagaram, Mithai Chettu. He
worked hard for history and
children's education. These were
published by the Andhra Saraswata
Parishad (Hyderabad) in 1946
Madapati Hanumantha Rao's six-
part edition edited by Veerabhadra
Rao. 'Virabhadra Rao assisted
Suravaram Prathapareddy in the
publication of Golkonda Kavula
edition.
Adiraj Veerabhadra Rao has written
many articles and stories in
magazines like Nilgiri, Sujata,
Golconda, Telangana Patrika,
Bhagyanar, Andhrapatrika,
Pragathi, Kakatiya, Telugudesam,
Meezan, Padmasali etc. Along with
these, radio speeches were given.
In 1972, Adiraju Veerabhadra Rao
Page 4
was honored at the Krishna
Devaraya Andhra Bhasha
Nilayam. Adiraja Veerabhadra Rao
died in October 1973.
Scholar, researcher, polyglot,
selfless, Veerabhadra Rao's
services to Telugu language
education, history and culture are
unforgettable.
Veldurthi Manikyarao
Famous Freedom Fighter Veldurthi
Manikyarao was born in 1913 in
Veldurthi village of Medak
district. He participated in the
freedom struggle from 1935 to
1948. He went to jail many times. In
1935, he worked as the secretary of
'Andhra Mahasabha'. During the
independence movement, he
worked as an assistant editor of the
magazine 'Golkonda', editor of the
Telugu monthly magazine
'Madyapan Nirodham', and editor of
the Urdu monthly magazine
'Turkimuskirat'.
'Sir Akbar Hydari' to mislead people
in the name of political
reforms. Both Muslims and Hindus
opposed the report. The book
'Raitu' written by them was banned
by Nizam Nawab. Their poems
were compiled under the name
'Manikyaveena'. Authored books
like 'Hyderabad Constitutional
Reforms', 'Khaadi', 'Madapati Vari
Jeevan', 'Sardar Jamalapuram
Kesava Rao - Memoirs', etc.
He wrote the book
Swatantyrodyamam in Hyderabad
State in English. This book is
translated in Telugu by
'G. Published in 1992 by
Publications Division, Government
of India with Suramouli. In this book
Manikya Rao elaborated the
moments of anti-Nizam struggle.

Anagranthamala, edited by
Veldurthi Manikya Rao and K.C.
Gupta, published a book detailing
the report of the 'Aravamuda
Iyengar' Commission on the political
reforms introduced by the Nizam's
government. Madapati Hanumantha
Rao wrote the foreword for this
book.

Aravamuda Iyengar Commission

was appointed in 1937 by the then
Prime Minister of Hyderabad State

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