History

of
Modern Andhra

Dr P.Raghunadha Rao
Reader in History
Sri Venkateswara University
TIKUPATJ

STERLING P U B L I S PRIVATE
~ ~IbaeD
IN"W!WjL~ DOJ RANGALORB-
 History
o'f
Modcrn Andhta
STEUTNG PUBLISHERS PVT LTD
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5th Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore-560009.
695, Model Town,Jalandhar City-144003.

First Edition 1978

Reprint 1980
Second Revised & Enlarged Edition 1983
History of Modern Andhra
@ 1983, P.Raghunadha Rao

PRlNTBD M WDU -

hbllshad by S.K. Ghai, Managine Director, Starling Pnblishu~

(P)Ltd., New Dslhi-110016 & Printed at Staling Printers,
GI1 Qb Park htmsiw,Now Dtlhi-110016.
 PREFACE

The warm reception accorded to the earlier edition of the book

by the students and the general public, prompted me to bring out
this new edition. In bringing out this new edition I have enlarged
the scope of the book. In the 'Introduction' a survey of the history
of the And hras from the establishment of the Satavahana empire t o
thc acquisition of North Coastal Andhra by the East hdia Com-
pany is made. Other chapters have. been revised and enlarged.
Two new chapters, -Communist Parties and Revolutionary
Vioicnce in Andhra and Tefugu Literature-A Hist6rical Survey.
have been added. The Appendix giving the life sketches of some
eminent Andhras is another addition to the book. 1 hope the book
will cater to the needs of thc students and gcneral public.
I take this opportunity to record ny appreciation for the interest
taken by Sterling Publishers (Pvt) Ltd, in bringing out this book
neatly and on time.
My sincere thanks arc due to my wife, Sarada for giving me some
valuable suggestions. Finally, I thank my young son Sudhir dho
throughout the period of my pre-occupation with the revision of the
work, not only did not complain, but shared active interest in it.
I dedicate the book to my late mother with dection and respect.
 CONTENTS

Prrfac~
bltrod~ctior~.
1. Coming of the Europeans
2. The Nizam and the East India Company
3. Andhra under the Company
4. Andhra under the Crown
5. The Awakening of Andhra
6. The Birth of Andhre Movement
7. Andhra and the Indian National Movcnlcnt
8. Andhra in Madras Politics
9. Political Awakening in Telengana
10. Formation of Andhra State
11. Emergence of Andhra Pradesh
12. Communist Pnrties and Revolutionary Violence
13. Telugu Literature-A Historical Survey
14. Political Crises since 1956
Appendix
Bibliogroplrp
Index
 Introduction
Andhra Pradesh is the fifth largest State in the Indian Union
having an area o f 2,75,Y09 sq. kms. and a population of about 54
millions (1981). It is the biggest among the South lndian S t a t e
both in area and population. It is bound in the East by the Bay of
Bengal and on the North by Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, on the
South by Tamil Nadu and on the West by Kacnataka and Maharash-
tra. It has a long coast line of about 960 kms. which contains the
major port of Visakhapatnam which, incidentally, is the headquarters
of the Eastern Coinmand of the Indian Navy and also the country's
only sublnarinc base.
The twenty-three districts of the State are generally divided into
three geogaphical regions known as the Circars or Coastal Andhra,
Rayalaseema and Telengann.1 The first two regions were formally
part of the Madras Presidency until1 I October 1953 when they were
detachcd from it, to form a separate State of Andhra; Telengana was
a part of the erstwhile Stare o f Hyderabad. On 1 November 1956
Hyderabad State was trifurcated and Telengnna was merged with the
Andhrn State to form the present state of Andhra Pradesh with the
city of Hyderabad as its capital.
Telugu is the predominant language of the State. It is spollen by
about 88 per cent of the State's population. The next important lan-
guage is Urdu which is spoken by about 7 per cent of the population,
About 88 per cent of the State's population are Hindus. Muslims
and Christians consfitute about 7 per cent and4 per cent respectively.
Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees together constitute about 1 per cent.
Early History
The Andhras were firsr ruentioned in the 'Aitereya Brahmans'
belongs to 1000 B.C. They, along wrth the Pundras, Sabams,
pulindas and Mutibas were expelled from the Brahmana fold when
the fifty eldest sons of Viswamitra refused to accept his adoprion of
Sunahsepha. In the Mahabharata war, Andhras fought on the side
1 meTwnty-lhree districts ate:
srikakulam, (2) Vljdyavgaram, (3) Visakha ntnam (4) East GodnvarL
(I)
~
Godavan, ( 6 ) Knshna. (7) Gunrur.
~(11) Anantspur.
i (12)
~ Cuddapeh,
~
(6 Prakasarn.
~ Kumml,
(1.1)
allo om.
~ (14) Maha-
~ ,
boobnagar (pdnmu~u),(13) Medek (Methuku)~ (16)Nizamahd (hduru),
Karimnagar, (Eiagandalfi). (18) Adilabd tEdllla!Prnrn). Waran-
gal (c)rugallu ,(20) Nallagon&d. (21) KhaWarn* (Zi) H~derebad(Bhogya
Nagxr), and bl) R a o w d d l
names witbin brackets at;: the original Telugu n a m ~
2 H I U O R Y OF MODERN ANDHRA

of the Kauravas. Andhra was one o r the kingdoms conquered by

Sahadeva a t the time of the Rajasuya ceremony or Y udhishtira.
The historic period in Andhradcsa begins with the Mauryas.
Andhra formed part of the Mauryan Empire. One of the edicts of
Asokais at Erragudi 8 miles From Gooty in Anantapur district.
Megasthenes, the Greek Ambassador in the court of Chandragupta
Maurya made a number of references about the Andhras in his book
'Indica'. According to him the Andhras were independent and mili-
' tarily very strong. They had thirty forts, one lakh infantry, 2,000
horses and 1,000 elephants.
According to the Matsya and Vayu puranas, the last Kanva king
Susraman was slain by the Andhra king Simukha who succeeded
the Kanvas in Magadha. But from the epigraphical sources it is
clear that the Satavahana rule had begun mud1 earlier, by about
236 B.C. After the decline of thc Mauryas. the Andhras under the
Satavahanas declared their independence.

The Satavahanas
Origin of the Andfiras
Thereis a great deal of controversy about the origin of the
Andhas. Some are of the opinion that they were Aryans, but mig
rated to the Deccan and mixed with the locat inhabitants and imbibed
their culture Others contend that the Andhras were of the Dravi-
dian stock who had in earlier times inhabited tlic entire country*
Another controversy is regarding the original home of the
Andhras. Some are of the opinion that the original home of the
Andhras was the coastal region between the Godavari and Krishna
riven. This view is not accepted by many since the Andlrra Sata-
vahana rule was Brst established over the Marathwada region of
Maharashtra. The Satavahana empire extendcd eastwards tbraugh
the valleys of Godavari and Krishna and the capital was shiftcd to
the present Andhra region only after their power decayed in the west.
There is yet another controversy. Some scholars assert that the
Satavahanas were not the Andhras but an independent dynasty of
kings. But eminent bistorians like Bhandarkar, Rapson and V.A.
Smith however asserted that the Satavahanas belonged t o Andhra
Desa, basing their arguments on the fact that the Puranas used the
term Andhradesiyah and Andhra Jatiyah whiIe describing the Sata-
vahanas. Inscriptions of Asuka referred to the Satavahanas as
Andhra Bhrithyas.
T h e SeOavahana rule
There are divergent views regarding the statting period of the
Satavahana chronoloa and the total duration of the dynasty.
According to D.R. Bhandarkar the Satavahana rule commenced in
the 6th or 5th century B c. But this view was not accepted by other
 scholars. Dr M. Rama Rao, heId the view that the Satavahanas
flourished between 221 B.G. and 218 A . D . ~
Simukha (221-198 B.C.)
After the death OF Asoka the Maurynn empire declined rapidly.
Taking advantage of the confusion in north India, the Satavahanas
asserted their itdependence, Uoder ilxc able rule of Simukha, the
founder of the Sal dynasty, the Satavahana power extended towards
wcstern Deccan. He ruled for about 23 years and was succeeded by
his younger brother Krishna in 198 8.c.
Krishna (198-180 B.G.)
Krishna continued the policy of his brother and extended the
empire towards the west as far as N ~ s i k . It is unfortunate that very
few details are available about him. Even his Iigure is not fomd
among the Naneghat rclievos. These relievos constl uctcd under the
order of Naganika, the queen of Sntakarni I who succeeded Krishna,
contain the figures of Napnika, her children, her fathcr, her husband
and his fnther. The absence of Krishna's figure in Naneghat relieros
led many to believe that he had usurped the throac.
Satakarni (180-170 B.C.)
We know many details about the reign of Satakarni from the
Naneghat inscription issucd by h i s wife Namnika or Nayanika.
She was the daughter of Maharathi Tranakayiro and made her per-
sonality felt in the &airs of the kingdom. Satakarni was the con-
temporary of Pusyamitra Sunga of Magadha and Kharavela of
Kalinga. F r o m the Naneghat inscription it is evident that Satakarni
conquered western Malwa, Aaupa or the Nnmlclda valley and
Vidarbha. The inscription further states that Satakarni performed
the Aswamedha sacrifices ~ n oned Rnjasuya sacrrficc in commemora-
tion of these victories and proclaimed himself Samrat and assum-
ed the titles of 'Dakshinapathi' and 'Aprathihatahchakra'. He was
succeeded by his minor son Vedasri. Naganika acted as regent and
carried on the administration. Vedasri died a minor and was
succeeded by his brother Sstisri. Not much is known nbout these
kings and their successors. The next important ruler was Satakarni
11 who ruled from 152-96 B.c.
s~takarniJI (152-96 B.C.)
The long rule of Satakarni I1 i s memorable in the history ofthe
Satavahanas since Pataliputra, the famous capital of Magadha came
under their cc.ntrol for the first time. Satakatni 11 extended his
empire by conquering Vidisa and Kalinga. But towards the end of
his reign, the Sakas had conquered western Deccan. Very litde is
known about the successors of Satakarni ZI. The next impottant
king was Hala wha ruled from 19-24 A.D.
Hab (19-24 A.D.)
Hala, the seventeenth king or the Salavahanne ia meqrio?ed by
Vafsyayana in his 'Ksmasutra' and Rajnsekhara i n h s Kawa
1 Saiavehana cornmemoretion volume, Jo~rrnolo j Andhra Birrory und 0 1 -
trve, Val. V, 1950, p. 53.
4 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

Mmmamsa'. Hala patronised literature and arts. The Prakrit work

'Saptasati9 j, a3cribed to him. Gunadhya the author of 'Brihar katha'
was his contemporary, As he was a pntron of poets, he was known 1
by the title ICavivatsala. He married a Ceylanesc princess o n the 1
banks of the Sapta-Godavari-Bhima rivers. After Hala, once again
there is a break in the history of the Satavahanas. They lost their
province in c ~ n t r a t and western lndia and also Magadha. They
were confined to their home territories in the Andhra Desa.
Later Satavahanas
Gnutamiputra Satakarni (78-102 A.D.)
Gautamiputra Satakarni was anc of the outstanding rulers of
ancient India. He was the son of Sivasvati and Gautami Balnsri.
His achievements and personality 1s known from tltc Nasik inscrip-
tion of Balasri.
At the time of his accession the situation was very gloomy for
the Satavahanas. In the 1ndo.Gangetic plain, the Kushans were
rnakins ereat progress. Western Dcccan was in thc hands of the
Ksnharatas. The iorcign tribes, Sakas, Y avanas and Pahalavas who
had embraced Hinduism and settled in India disturbed peace and
order in the Dscczn In such a gloomy situation Satakarni did not
lose heart. He rose to the occasion and destroyed the Sakas,
Ya anas and Pahalavas. He uprooted the Ksatrapa dyliasty of
Nahapana and re-established the glory of the Satavahana family.
He is credited to have conquered the territories of Anupa, Aparantha,
Sauraqtra, Kukura and Avanthi from Nahapana. Further, he con-
quered Vidsrbha, Asniaka and Muluka. (These are the territories
in western lndia and the Deccan. present Gujarat and Maharashtra
States). The boundaries o f his empire extended From the river
Krishna in the south to Malwa and Kathiawar in the north, from
the Bay of Bengal in the east, to the Konkan in the wcst. One of
his titles, 'tbrisamudra toya pitavahann' (one whose horses drank the
waters of three oceans). suggests the fact that his armies bad touch-
~ and the Indian Ocean.
ed the Bay of Bengal, the A r a b i a ~Sea
Literature
Satavahana rulers patronised both Sanskrit and Prakrit litera-
lures. -Hala, the Satavahaoa ruler was the author of 'Saptasati'--a
work in Prakrit. 'Brihat katha'. written by Gunadhya was in t11e
Paisachi dialect.
Trade and Commerce
The Satavahana rulers developed both internal and nleritime
trade- The figure of a ship found O ~ Satavahana
I coins clearly testify ,
to the fact of their maritime activity. Further, the discovery of a
b e number or Roman coins in the Krishna river valley strengthens
the above fact,
An important feature bf the Satsrvahana economic life was t h ~ .
deve!o~mcnt of Srenls or trade guilds. These Srenis acted as banks
and facilitated the development of trade,
 Nagfirjnna
The study of the Satavahanas would be incomplete wjaouf refer-
ence to Acharya Nagarjuna, tne founder of Madhyemjka doctrine. H~
lived at Sriparvata, now known as b1agarjun&onda and for some
time zdorned the court af Gautamiputra Yagnasri. Besides being a
philosopher. Nagarjuna was also a reputed chemist.
In a ward the cultural contributiun of the 9atavahans was
immense and varied.
Gautamiputra Satakarni was the chanipion of the Hindu religion
and treated the four castes on an equal footing: He and his wife
Vasisli, were firmly devoted to Dharnla. The Rajamata, Gautmi
Balasri was a great personality. Sataknrni took pride in calling him-
self Gautanliputra or the son 01Goutnmi. He was succeeded by his
son Vasistiputra Pulomavi who ruled from 102-130A . D. He main-
tained intact a grenter port oE the wide cmpire inherited from his
father. He was succeeded by Sataknrni who ruled from 130-154~.~,
Rudradaman ~lleSaka ruler defeated Satakarni and annexed some
territories of the Satavahana empire.
Gnatamipntra Yajnasri (174-203 (A.D.)
Gautalniputra Yajnasri was the last great king of the Satavabanas.
He took advnnfilgc of thc confusion at Ujjain after the dentb of
Rudradaman arid invedcd tlic Soku dominion. I-Ie r ~ - ~ s t ~ b ) i s h e d
Saravi~bnna authority ovcr a great part of wesiern Deccan and ccn-
tral India.
He enlarged the famous Amaravati Slupa and constructed the
famous railing round the Mahachaitya. Acharya Nagarjona lived at
his court for some time. After Llis death the cn~pjrebegan to decline
and disappeared from the political scene in the 3rd century A.D.
Cultural Contribution oi' the Satavahanas
The Satavahana rule cxtendiog aver 5 centuries from the 3rd cen-
tury o,c, t~ the 3rd century A.D., constitutes One of the glorious
epochs ancient Indian history. The history of India before the ad-
vent of the Satavahanas was mainly the history of North India. The
Satavahanes who controlled the land betwten the Narmada in the
north and ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ b inh the r a and the Bay of Bengal in the
a d south
East nnd the Arabizn Sen in the west gave the Deccan a ~olitical
individuality 'and blessed the area wit11 peace and prosperity, at a
time when North India was rocked by several political disturbance3
causedby foreign invasions and dynastic rcvolutians.
a ~h~ Setavohana empire at its zenith included not only the present
~ ~ prades1l,but
d h also parts
~ of Maharashtca, W a r a t , Tamil N a b
~ ~ Madhya Pradesb,
~ ~
Orissa and ~Bihar- In~extent it ranked
~ k
secand only to the Mauryan Empire-
Religion
Thr SItavahana rulers Were not religious fanalist even though
(hey followed the Vcdlc faith m d tried to uphold the rocla1 strudu*
based on 'Varnasrmadhafma'.
6 HISTORY OF MODPRN ANDHRA

hey performed a number of Vedic sacrifices like Aswamedha

and Rajasuya. They patronised Buddhism aIso. In fact many of
the Satavahana queens followed the Buddhiqt faith. They were res-
ponsible for the excavation of numerous caves which were used as
Chaityagrihas (templrs) or as Viharas (residential quarters for
Buddhist monks and mendicants).
Society
The Satavahana kings were Brahmins and they maintained the
social structure based on Varnasramadhnrma. The society was divi-
ded into the usual four castes of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and
Sudras. At the same time there was another classification based on
the social status of the people. Maharatbas, Mahabhojas and
Mahasenadhipathis formed thb highest class. They wielded considcr-
able cconomic and politics! power. Certain middle rank officials
like Amatyas, Mahamatras and Bhadagarikas, together with Nai-
gamas (merchants) and Sarthavaha (head of the trade guild) formed
the secor,d cla~s. The third class consisted of petty officials like
Lekhakas (clerks), and professionals like Suvarnakara (goldsmith)
and Gbandika (druggist). The fourth class consisted of Lohavanija
(blacksmith), Vardhaki (carpenter), Malakara (gardener) and Das-
saka (Fisherman).
Art
The Satavahanas were great patrons of art and architecture, The
famous caves of Kanheri, Karla and Nasik and the world rcnowned
Buddhist stupas at Sanchi and Amaravati testify this fact. One of
the schools of Indian art is named after Amaravati, one time capi-
tal of the Satavahanas. Similarly the earliest paintings in tbt Ajanta
caves belong to the Satavahana period.
The Kakatiyas of Warangal
After the fall of tlic Satavahana dynasty in the 3rd century A.D.,
Andhra was ruled nearly for 700 years by many minor dynasties
like Ikshwakus, Eastern Chalukyas etc. Wilh the establishment of
Kakatiya power at Warangal i n the 1 Ith century Andhra got one of
its major dynasties to shape its history and civilisation.
The origin of the Kakatiyas is highly debated. According to
some the name Kakatiya was derived from Kakati, a [ocaI goddess
worshipped by the rulers of Warangal. Others contend that it was
derived from a town named Kakati. On one point however, there is
near unanimity, namely that the Kakatrya rulers were originally the
feudatories of Lhe Eastern Chalukyas ofVeugi. Taking advantage of
the confusionthat followed after the death of the Eastern chalukya
king Ammaraja 11 Beta I, a feudatory of the Eastern Chalukyas
declared his independence by establishing a new dynasty in the year
19000A.D. He ruled for 30 years and was succeeded by his son Pro[a 1.
Prola I (1030-1075 (A. b,)
Prola I who mxeeded his father in 1030 faced a critical situation
8s the small principality was threatened by both the Cholas and the
 Western Chalukyas of Kalyani. Nagavan~sjof ChakrakutR (Bnstar)
tried lo annex the new principality. Prola I was able to overcome
all these dangers. l i e attacked Chakrakum and defeated its ruler
Dharavttsu. During his rule of 36 yearsprola was able t o extend the
terrilorics of his principality in all directions. He was succeeded by
his son Beta 11 who ruled from 1075-1110 A.D. His reign was
uneventful. He shifted his capital to Anamakonda near Warangal
and took the title Tribhuvallamalla.
Prola U (1110-1158 A. D.)
Prola I1 was an important king of the early Kakatiyas, His
exploits are described at length in the Anamakonda inscription of
his son Rudradeva. He is credited to have defeated Mailapadeva,
Govndaraja, Gunda and Jaggadeva. There is a great deal of con-
troversy regarding the identity of tliese rulers and the location of
their territories.
Rudradevn (1158-1195 A.D.)
Rudradeva who succeeded his father Prola I1 in 1158 A.D. was a
grear fighter. His exploits are described in his famous inscription in
the Rudresvara tempIe at Anumakonda. From this inscription it is
evident th-tr he had def~ateda large number of Chaltlkyan feuda-
tories round his kingdom. He was also erlgirged in numerous wars
with the rulers of Velanadu in the east and Yadavas in the west.
Rudradeva was a great patron of art and literature. He cons-
tructed the majestic Rudresvara temple in Anamakanda. He was
the author of the Sanskrit work 'Nitisiua'. He extended his patronage
to Saivite divil~es like Palkprki Somanatha. One of the notable
events of his reign was rhe shifting of the capital from Anumakonda
t o Warangal. While Rudradeva was consolidating his porcer the
Yadavas of Devagiri began to expand their power towards the
south. The Yadava king, Jaitrapala, invaded the Kakatiyn domi-
nion in 1195. Rudradeva died while opposing the invader. Since he
had no issue he was succeeded by his yo lnger brother Mahadeva.
Mahadeva (1195-98 A.D.)
Mahadeva who succeeded his brother Rudradeva ruled only for
three years. He died while besieging the Yadava capital of Deva-
girl.
Ganapathideva (1 198-1262 A .D.)
Ganapathideva was the greatest of the Kakatiya rulers. He
accompanied his father Mahadeva when the latter besieged Dcva-
girj, the Yadava capital. As noted already, Muhadeva was killed
berore the walls of Devagiri and Ganapatbideva was taken prisoner
by rhe Yadavas. The news of the death of Mahadeva and the arrest
Ganapathideva created great commotion in the Kakatiya king
dam, Many feudatories of the Kakatiyas rose in revolt and tried'
to assert their independence, but the loyal general of the Kakatiyas,
Recharla Rudra, put down these revolts and looked after the king-
dom. Ganapathideva was released in 1202 and allowed to return to
his kingdom.
8 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDWA

In the course of his long reign extending over sixty years Gana-
pathideva brought a great part of the present Andbra Pradcsh
under his control. He first turned his attention towards VeIaoadu
and Vengi regions of coastal Andhra and brought them under his
control. He conquered Kalinga. He helped Manu~nasiddithe ruler
of Nellore in regaining his kingdom. Tikkanna (one of the three
poets who had translated the 'Mahabharata' into Telugu) the famous
poet and a rninister of M a n u m a s ~ d d was
~ instrumental io securing
the help of Gapapathideva for his master. Ganapathideva's other
explaiu include the subjugation of Gangaya Sahiri, an important
chieftain ,of Ray;llaseema. The greatest triumph of Ganapathideva
was the conquest of Kanchi and the subjugation of the Yadavas of
Devagiri.
lo spite of his engagements in numerous wars, Ganapathideva
did not neglect the .administration. In fact, hc construc~edmany
temples and improved irrigationai facilities. He had also improved
trade and commerce. In this connection it is important to mention
his promulgation of abhaya sasana at the port of Motupalli. Motu-
palli was one of the important ports of Andhra in the ancient and
medieval periods. Many foreign vessels used to visit this port.
After the fall of Velanadu rulers, there was confusion in the mid
coastal region of Andbra. Taking advantage of this confusion, th-
local chieftains used to collect vexatious customs and other taxee
from the foreign ships and the local merchants. As a result the pors
soon fell into disuse and trade languished. After subjugating Velat
nadu area, Ganapathideva issued an abhaya sasana at Motopall-
guaranteeing security lo all ships and abolished many vex9tiousi
custom duties. Very soon the port regained its former glory.
Ganapathideva had no son but two daughters only. The elder
daughter was Rudramba and the younger Ganapamba. Rudramba
was actively associated in the administration of the kingdom.
Ganapathideva passed away in 1262 A.D. after a giorious reign of 64
years. He is undoubtedly the greatest emperor of thc Kakatiya
dynasty. He brought a large part of the Telugu-speaking area under
his control and laid the foundation for its development in agricul-
tural, commercial and other spheres. He had the foresight to train
his daughter in the art of nd~ninistrarionby associating her in the
government as early as 1240 A . D .
Rndramba (1262-1296 A.D.)
After the death of Ganapathideva in 1262 A . D. Rudramba became
the ruler of the Kakatiya empire. She was the first and the only
woman to rule over Andhra,
Her reign was marked by the uprising of her feudatories who
did not like the s~ccessionof a woman to the throne, She o v e r a m e
all the dificultics and maii~tailiedthe integrity of the empire.
The Yadava king Mahadeva invaded the K&tiya empire during
the years 1268-70- But nothing came out of this. It was a mere
raid and did not result in any loss of territory to the Kakatiyas.
 In 1280 Prataparudradeva, the grandson of Rudramba, was
annointed as the Yuvaraja. In 1285, the Pandyas, the Yadavas and
the Hoysalas aliied themselves and tried to annex the Kakatiya
empire, but Prataparudradeva, the Yuvaraja, tackled the situation
successCully.
Prataparudra (1296-1323 A.D.)
Prataparudr~ ascended the throne after the death of his grand-
mother, iu 1296. He began his reign with a series of reforms in the
administration. During the reign of Ganapathideva the governors
of different areas of the empire known as Nayaks were appointed
from the members of different castes This was known as the Mayam-
kara system. Prataparudradcvn reorganised this system appointing
only Padmanayaks to tlwe officers. He dismissed Nayaks belonging
to other communities. His reforming activity ended in 1303 when
the empire bad to facc the first shock of a Muslim invasion from the
north. From 130; to 1323 the Muslim rulers of DeLhi invaded flve
times and finaIly annihilated t h e Kakatiya empire.
Allauddin ascended the rhronc of Delhi in 1296 so011 after his
victory over the Yadava kingdom of Devagiri. He undertook this
unautharised invasion when he was the Governor of Kara and
Allahabad. Soon after his victory he murdered his father-in-law
Sultan Jalaluddin Khilji and proclaimed himself the Sultan. The
ease with which he annihiIated Devagiri prompted Allauddin to
undertake another invasion to the sourh in 1303 A.D. The M u s h
army was however defeated by the Kakatiya forces at Upparapalli
in Karimnagnr district. Allauddin sent an expedition under Malik
Kalur to the south in 1307, It was directed against Dcvagiri. In
1309 the second attack on the Kakatiya empire was undertaken.
Majik Kafur commenced his attack on the fort of Warangal on 19
January 1310. The Kakatiys army withstood the attack for two monihs
and finally on 19 March it surrendered and accepted the terms
dictateti by Malik Kafur. Prataparudra agreed to surrender his
wealth and pay annual lributc to the Sultan of Delhi.
After the return of Malik Kafur to DeIbi the Kakatiya feudatories
in Rayalaseema area, namely Ambaraja and Tripurantaka of Gandi-
kota and Vallur respectively rose in revoit. So Prataparudra under-
took an expedition against the rebels and re-established his autho-
rity. Hc visited the famous Saivite tenlplcr at Srisailam and Trrpu-
rantakam. He found the area covered with thick forests. So hc
undertook the work of forest ~eclamati~n.Large tracts of land
were of forestr; and new villages were built which were colo-
nised by the people from TeIengana and coastal regions. The region
was jnto a Nayamkara and assigned to Videniu Komma-
raju, a lomI subordinate.
merre.esbblishing his authority i r ~ Re~alaSeema,Prataparudra
launched a campaign against Kancht and !he Pandyas. Ksnchi fill
into the h o d s of the Kakatiyas. Both Vlra Pandya and Sundara
Pandya were defeated.
 Prataparudra kept his agreement with Malik Kafur and paid
annual tribute to the Delhi Sultan regularly. In 1316 AlIauddin
died and there was confusion regarding the succession to the throne.
Taking advantage of this situation Prataparudra withheld his ~ i b u t c
to the Delhi Sultan. In 1318 Qutubuddin Mubarak came out
successful in the struggle for the throne of Dclhi. He sent an expe-
dition to Warangal under Khusrau Khan to demand the payment of
a n ~ u atributc
l due to the Delhi Sultan.Prataparudta who was at that
time engaged in a war with the Kampili ruler Kumararya thought
it prudent to make terms with the Delhi Sultan and paid him the
j
.
ariears of tribute.
,
1320 the Tughlaks replaced the Khiljis at Delhi and Ghiasuddin
became the Sultan of Delhi. The new Delhi Sultan changed his
Deccao policy from one of levying tribute to one of territorial con-
quest. Meanwhile Prataparudra stopped paying tribute t o the /
DellJ Sultan and re-occupied Badarkot and other places ceded by
him to Kbusrau, the Khilji governor. In 1321 the Delhi Sultan sent
a large lbrce under the command of his son Ulugll Khan against
Warangal. The attack on Warallgal was repulsed and the Delhi
forces suffered heavy losses. Therefore they withdrew to Delhi, but
mounted another attack on Warangal within four months. This
attack proved to be a success. Prataparudra and his family were
taken prisoners and sent to Delhi. On the way to Delhi Ptatapa-
rudra committed suicide.
After the conquest of Warangal Ulugh Khan proceeded to other
areas a l 0 ~ gthe coast from Nerlore to Rajahmundry and by Septem-
ber 1324 A.D. he completed the conquest of the Kakatiya empire.
The fall of Warangal and the Kakatiya empire wa. so sudden and
unexpected that it left the people bewildered. The Muslim rule that
followed proved to be very cruel and oppressive. So within a short
time the feudatories of the Kokatiyas took a lend in organisjug a
movement for liberating the country from the Muslim tyranny.
The Contribution of the
Kakatiyas to Andhra Culture
The contxibution of the Kakatiyas to the culture of Andhra was
immense. During their rule extending over three centuries, they
shaped the Andhra history and culture by defending the Deccan
from the repeated conquests of Islam.
Literature
The greatest service rendered by the Kakatiyas to Andhra was
that they brought the whole OC the TeIugu speaking area under one
paramount power. I t was during the rule of the Kakatiyns that
Telugu language and literature began to develop. The earliest ex-
tant work in Telugu is Nannaya's 'Andhra Mehabharatamu'. The
work was undertaken in the reign of the Eastern ChaIukya king of
Rajabundry, namely Raja. Raja Narendra (1019-61). Nannaya
could not complete the work. Tikkana, the court poet of Mmuma-
siddi of Neuore, completed the translation of 15 puvas (cantos) of
 the Afaf~abharatn into Telugu at Warangal, when he went there to
persuade Ganapathideva to help his patron Manumasiddi, who had
been driven out of the k~ngdomby his kinsmen.
Eminent poets like Vidyanatha, SatkalyamaUa. Paikurki Soma-
natha and Bhaskara belonged to this period. Prataparudra I was the
author of 'Nitisastra'. 'Basavapuran~m,'Panditaradbya cbaritra' of
Palkurki Somanatha became very popular. Similarly the popular
work 'Bhaskara Ramayana' belongs to this period. The imu~ensely
popular work 'Sumati Satakamu' was writtea by Baddenna who also
belonged to this period.
Art
The Kakatiyac were great builders of te~nples. Among the
famous temples built by them were the Rudrcswara temple of
Anamakonda and Svayambhunatha temple in the fort of Warangal.
The Ramappa temple and the Pillalamarri temples are the greatest
works of art. The four majestic gateways in the fort of Warangal
testify the genius of the Andhra artists of Warangal. The Kakatiya
capital 'Warangal' was known as thc Andhra Mahanagara. N o
other city in Andhra had such a distinction.
lirigational Works
The Kakatiya period witnessed great development in agriculture.
This was made possible as the Kakatiya rulers bestowed great atten-
tion in building numerous irrigational works, like lakes, tanks, wells,
etc. Among the famous irrigational works constructed by them
were the Ramappa and Parkhal lakes. Prntaparudradeva ordered
reclamation of vast jungle trace in Rayalaseema, ecpeciallv in Kur-
no01 district.
Religion
When the Kakatiyas established their rule in the I1 th century
A.D. Jainism occupied a dominant position in Andhra. Saivism
came second. But within two centuries, kinism almost completely
disappeared out of Andhra and Saivism became the dominant reli-
gion, Three persons, namely Sripati, Sivalanka Manchana and
MjlJika~junaPanditaradhyn were responsible in making the Siva
cult popular in Andhra. In Kamatska, Vira Saivis~nbecame very
virulent nnd led to many religious clashes and bloodshed. This had
its in Andhra also. There were many cfashes between
Saivltes and Jains. M a n y of the Jain temples including the famous
-4
Padmashi temple at Aoarnakonda were convened into Gavitc
shrines. The K&dtiyas after Prola JI became staunch Saivites. But i t
must be said to their credit that they never became rcIigious fana-
tics. They in fact, tried to keep in check the religious animmitier;
between the Jaios nrid Saivitcs.
J~ a word Kakatiya rule gave Andha Desa and the Telugu lan-
guage an individuality of their own-
The Vijayanagara Empire (1 336-1 678)
The fdof the Kakatiya empire and the subsequent misrule and
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

tyranny of the Muslim invaders created a sense of insecurity among

1
the Hindus of the South. Hinduism appeared to be in danger of
extinction. So Hindus organised themselves to resist the further
onslaughts of Islam. Ia this effort two brothers. Harihara and
Bukka took a prominent role. Their original home wns Warangal
where they worked w minister and treasurer respcctiveiy under
prataparudredeva, the Kakatiya ruler. .They fled from Warangal
in 1323 when it was besieged by the Muslims. They served
under the rule of Ksmpili on the northern bank of Tungabhadra
river. When Kampili was captured by the Musli~ns,the brothers I

crossed the Tungabhadm river and founded in 1336 a new city which
was named Vijayanagra (city of victory)-
Four dynasties ruled over this kingdom in succession. They
were: (i) The Sangama dyuasly, (ij) the Saluva dynasty, (iii) the
Tuluva dynasty and (iv) the Aravidu dynasty.
The Sangama Dynasty (1336-1485B.D.1
The ruler of this dynasty include Harihwa I (1 336- 1356 A.D.),
Bukka K(1356-1377 A.o.), Haribaca 11 (1377-1464 A.D.), Devaraya 1
(1406-1422 A.D.), Devaraya 11 (1422-1465 A.D.), and Virupaksha (1465-
1485 A.D.). During the rule of Virupaksha, t h e Bahmnni kingdom,
which was ably administered by the Prime Minister Mohammad
Gawan invaded Vijayanagar. Virupnksha was unable to meet the
challenge of the Bahmani kingdom. The king was assassinated by
his own son, who however renounced the throne as an act of repen-
rence, in favour of his younger brother Proudha Devaraya. But
Saluva Narasimha, eldest son of Saluva Gunda, the chief of Cband-
ragiri near Tirupati, usurped the throne and founded thenew
dynasty.
The Saluva Dynasty (1485-1505 A. U.)
There were only two kings of this dynasty namely SaluvaNara-
simha and Imrnadi Narasimha.
The Tuluva Dynasty (1505-1570 A. Dm)
Immadi Narasimha was murdered by Vira Narasimha who
ascended the throne in 1585 and establislieed a new dynasty called
the Tuluva dynasty. He was succeeded by his famous half-brother
Srikrishnadeva Raya in 1529.
Srikrlshoadeva Rayn (1509-1529 A.D.)
Srikrisbnadcva Raya was the greatest emperor South India has
produced. When he ascended the throne In I 509, the poIitical con-
dition of the Vijayanagar empire was very gloomy. The rulers of
Orissa were in possession of coastal Andhra upto Ncllore. The
Sultan of'Bijapur wanted to extend the boundaries of his kingdom at
the expense of Vijayanagar.
Srikrishnadeva Raya first turned his attention towards the Muslim
rulers of the Deccan who combined themselves to wage a jihad against
Vija~afiCkg21. The leader of t h i s combine was Yusuf Adil Khan, the
Sultan of Bijapur. Srikrishnadeva Raya inflicted a crushing defeat on
 tI1e ambined MusIi~n army at Adoni. H e pursud the retreating
Muslim army and iaRicted another defeat on the Muslims at the
battle of Kovelakonda where Yusuf Adil Khan was killed. Raichur
was captured in 1513 A.D. and the Doab region of Krishna-Tunga-
bhadra came under the control of Srikrishnadeva Raya. Gulbarga
was also capturcd. Srikrishnadeva Raya restored the Bahmani
kingdom to its legal ruler Muhammad Shah, displacing the de facta
ruler Barid Mamalik.
Srikriqhnadeva Raya n e x t turned his attention on the Polygars
(local chieftains) of Ummattur. After subjugating Ummattur, he
conquered Sivasamudram and Srirangapatnam.
Campaign against Orissa
Sri krishnadeva Raya launched five campaigns against the Oriya
ruIers. He first turned his attention on Udayagiri in Nellore di.trjct
- which was occupied by the Orissa rulcrs. The assault on the Udyn-
giri fort began in 15 13 A.D. Udayagiri was regarded as an imprcgna-
ble fort but Srikrishnadeva Rayx z~~cceeded in causing n breach in
the fortress and defeated the large Orissa army of Prataparcdra.
The Oriyns withdrew to Kondavidu. After the capture of Udaya-
giri Srikrishnadevn Raya visited Tirnpati to pay his horn~geto Sri-
venkateswara, He placed his statue along with those of his wives
Chinna Devi and TirumaIa Devi at the entrance of the Tirumala
shrine.
After rendering his bomnge to Srivenkalcswara Srikrishnadeva
Raya launched liis second nscnult agn inst thc Oriyn rulers. On the
way to Kor~ddviduhe conquercd the forts at Kandukuru. Vinukondn
Beliankonda etc. Kondavidu was besieged, but the Vijayanagara
general Siluva Timma failed to capture the fort. So Srikrishnadeva
Raya Ilimsclf took command and made a vigorous attack on the
fort. Finally the Oriyas were forced to surrender. A 1,irgc number
of Gajapati nobles including prince Virabhadra were captured and
sent to Vijayanagar.
Ir. the third campaign, Bezwadn on the banks o f t h e Krishna
river nlns caprured. Kondapalli on the way towards Golconda was
was also captured. The forts in the districts of NaIgonda and
Warangal districts were capturcd.
In the fourth campaign Venpi was liberated. Rnjahmundry wns
captured without any difficulty. Srikrishnadevn Raya next proceeded
to Simhachalarn and- paid homage to Narasimba Swamy the presi-
ding deity of the femple. At Potnuru he erected a pillar o f victory
to commemorate hrs victories.
m file liftb and last campaign Srikrishnadevx R A ~ niarched
R
against cuttack, tbe capital of the Gajapeti ruIers. Prince Vira-
bhadra committed suicide in the Vijayanagar prison. Prata~arudra
deva was forced to sue for peace. In 1518 a treaty was concluded
by prataparudradeva gave his daughter in m a r r i y c to Sri-
krishnadeva Rayas In return Srikrishnadevn Raya returned all the
territories of the Krishna rivff conquered by him to the Orissa
ruler,
14 H~STORYOP MODERN ANDHRA

Golconda
While Srikrishnadeva Raya was busy with his campaigns in
Orissa, the SuItan of Golconda, Quli Qutb Shah attacked Panagal
and Guntur and occupied the forts at Warangal, Khammammet,
Kondapalli, Eluru and Rajahmundry. He forced he Orissa ruler to
surrender all the territories between the mouths of Krishna and
Goda\,ari rivers. He then attacked Kondavidu which was under the
charge of Nandidla Gopa the nephew of Timmarasu, the famous
minister of Srjkrishnadeva Raya. Whcn Gopa was unable to face
the attacks of the Golconda forces Timmarasu himself took the
command and defeated the Golconda army and captured its corn-
mander Madarul-Mulk.
Bijapur
The last important campaign of Srikrishnadcva Raya was against
Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur The Bijapur Sultan demanded from
Srikrishnadeva Raya the return of Krishna-Tungabhadra Doab
taken by the latter in 1512 A.D. In the battle that followed the
Bijapur army was completely routed. He proceeded to Gulbarga
and destroyed the fort. The eldest son of Muhammad Shall was
given the Babrnani kingdom. The two other sons were taken to
Vijayanagar as hostages.
Relations with the Portuguese
Srikrishnadeva Raya maintained friendly relations with the Portu-
guese. In 151 0 Goa became the headquarters of the Portuguese
possessions in India, As a result trade and commerce developed.
The Vijayanagar ruler was able to procure Arabian horses from the
Portuguese traders. The Portuguese supplied guns and orher war
material to the Vijayanagar ruler which was used in the siege of
Raichur. Similarly the Portuguese engineers were engaged in impro-
ving the water supply to the city of Vijayanagar.
The laqt days of thc mighty emperor were not happy. His young
son Tirurnaladeva who was made the ruler of Vijayanagar in order
to guarantee his succession to the throne died after a reign of eight
months. Srikrishnadeva Raya learnt that his son was poisoned by
Timma, the son of his grcat minister Timmarasu. Both the son and
father were captured and blinded. Srikrishnadeva Raya became very
unhappy a t the turn of events. H e nominated his half-brot\rer
Achyuta fis his successor and died towards the end of 1529.
An Estimate
Srikrishnadeva Rayn occupies a unique place among the rulers of
South India. He was a versatile genius and made his mark as a great
warrior, able administrator and a liberal patron of a r t and literature.
He has become a legend. Even children and illiterate viHagers recall
his expioits. The core of his empire i.e. the five districts in the
South-West of Andhra Pradesh are now known as Rayalaseema or
the land of Srikrishnadeva Raya.
 As a warrior he showed his mettle against the enemies of the
empire, namely the Muslim rulers of the Deccan and the Gajapathi
rulers of Orissa. Hi$ wars against the Bahmini rulers revealed his
military prowess and diplomatic skill H e restored the Bahmani
dynasty twice in order to maintain poIitical stabiIity in the Deccan
ruled by many Muslim princes. Similarly his friendly relations with.
the Portuguese reveal his complete grasp o f fhc realities of the
Indian political situation of the 16th century A.D. His wars against
the Gajspathi rulers of Orissa may be regarded i u a brillinnt nchieve-
ment in the military history of the time.
As a n administrator, he proved to be very eficient. The vast
empire was divided into Mandalams, Nadus and Seemas so that
even the remote viljages could have the beneftts of effective
administration.
As a patron of art and Telugu literature Srikrishnadeva Raya was
unsurpassed. His period was the golden age of the Telupu literature
and has been comparcd with the PericIean age of Greece and
EIizabethan age of Engtnad. Eight literary luminaries popularly
known as A1,btadiggajas adorned his court. Among them Allasani
Peddanna the author of 'Manu Charitramu' was the greatest. He
was known as An jhra Kavitn Pitamaha. The other seven poets of
the group were Nandi Ti~nm~nna the author of 'Parijatba Apaharana-
mu,' hfaddayyagari Matlanna, Dhurjati, Ayyalanju Ramabhadrn
kavi. Pinpali Surana. Ramaraja Blr~~sanaand Tenaii Ramalinga.
Srikrishnadeva Raya himself was a poet of grcaf mrrit His work
'bunnkta Malvada' is regarded as a first rate 'prabandha' in TeJugu
literature. I-Te has also patronired Samkrit and Kannada literature.
Srikrishnadeva Rayn was a great builder. The Hazara Rama tem-
ple, thc Vittalaswami te~ilplcat the cnpital city are attributed to him.
In llonour o r his mother he buiIt a new city called Nagalapurarn. Tn a
word Srikrishnadeva Raya ranks with the greatest emperors OF
Europe and Asia.
Downfall of thc Empire
Srikrishnadeva Raga was succeeded by his brother Achyuta Raya
who ruled from 1530-1542 A,],. H e was a man of violent temper.
H e could nor govern the empire and the real power was wielded by
his minister Aravidu Rarnaraju (son-in-law o f Srikrishna Deva Raya).
Achyuta Raya was succeeded by his minor son Venkata I. B u t he
did not live long, Rama Raya rl~en proclaimed Ssdasiva (a son of
Achyuta Raja's brother) as the emperor in 1543 But the de facto
ruler was Rarna Raya.
Battle of Taiikota (1565)
Rama Raga interfered in the affair of Deccan sultanates o f Bija-
pm, Ahmadnagar and Golconda, to enhance his prestige and power.
In 1 543 Rama Raya in alliance with hllmadnagar and Golconda
attacked Eijapur. Fifteen years later (1558) Dijapur aud Vijayanagw
combined and attacked Ahmadnagar. The Muslim states decided
16 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

to forget their quarrels and combined against Rama Raya. The

result was the battle of Talikota.
The Battle of Talikota also known as Rakshas-Tangidi was
fought on 25 January 1565. Though the Vijslyanagar forces were
succersful in the beginning, they could not withstand the artillery
attack of the Muslims. Rarna Raya was taken prisoner and beheaded
by Hussain Nizarn Shah of Ahmadnagar.
After the battle of Talikota the Muslin~.confederacy was dis-
solved and once again they began to fight each other. This gave an
oppottunity for the Vijayanagar cmpire to recoup under Ranla
Raya's brother Tirumala. He shifted the capital to Penukonda in
the Anantapur district. In 1570 Tirumala set aside the nominal rule
of Sadasiva Raya and became the de jure ruler. Thus began the rule
of the Aravidu dynasty, the fourth atld last dynasty of the Vijaya-
nagar. The capital of the empire was shifted to Chandragiri in the
Chittoor diftrict during the rule of Venkata [I.
The dynasty lingered
on till 1675 A . D .
The Qutb Shahi Dynasty of Golconda: 1512-1607
Nine years after the establishment of the Vijayanagar kingdom,
a Muslim kingdom in the Deccan known as the Bahmani kingdom
was established in 1347 A n. by Ah-ud-din Zafar Khan Bahmani.
The kingdom, which lasted upto I526 was engaged in endless wars
with the Vijayanagar kingdom over the Raichur Doab (the territory
between the Krishna and Tungabhadm rivers).
After the breakup of the Bahmani kingdom five new Sultnnatcs
were formed. They were: (1) Berar ruled by the Itnad Shahi dynasty,
(2) Ahmadnagar, luted by the Nizam Shahi dynasty, (3) Bijapilr
ruled by the Adil Shahi dynasty, (4) Golconda r u l e d by the Qutb
Shahi dynasty and (5) Bidar ruled by the Barid Shahi dynasty.
In 15 12 Quli Qutbul Mulk. the Governor of Golconda asserted
his independence under the title Sultan Quli Qutb Shah.
Qutb Shah (1512-1543)
Sultan Quli was n Shia. He supported Bidar in its quarrels with
Bijapur in 1SL4 and 1530. He lived for 93 years and was murdered
at the instance of his son Jamshid.
Jalnshid (1543-1550)
Jarnshid who ruled far seven years only was engaged in a number
of wars with Bijapur. He died in 1550 Ieaving the throne to his
infant son Subhan, but the infant was deposed by his uncle Ibtahjm
who proclaimed himself the Sultan.
Ibrabim (1550-1 580)
Ibrahim married the daughter of Hussain Nizam Shah I of
amadnagar, and took a leading part in forming an alliance of the
D m n Sultans against Vijayanagar. This resulted in the rout of the
-jayanagar forces at the Battle of Talikota in 1565. It was during
that Warangal Was p e m ~ a ~ e n t annexed
ly to the kingdom of
Golconda.
 Muhammad Qnii Qutb Shah (1580-1612):
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah was the founder of the city of
Hyderabad. In 1589 hc built a new city about JO miles away from
Golconda. He named it Bhagyanagar after his Hindu mistress
Bhagamati. Subsequently Bhagyanagar was re-named Hyderabad.
The important land mark of Hyderabad, Charminar was also con-
structed during this period. The next ruler Muhammad ruled from
1612 to 1626.
Abdulla Qutb Shah (1626-72) -
During the rule of Abdulla,the Golconda kingdom was forced to
accept the suzerainty of the MughaI Emperor Shah Jahan in 1635.
A year before this event i.e. in 1634, Abdulla issued the Golden
Firman granting trade privileges to the English East India Company
on the Andhra coast. The psime minister, Mir Jumla, provcd t o
be a very treacherous man. H e entered into secret parleys with
Aurangzeb, the Mughal viceroy of the Dcccan. As a result.
Aurangzeb invaded Golconda in 1655 and plundered the d t y of
Hyderabad. Abdulla made peace with Aurangzeb by paying a
huge indemnity. AbduIla was succeeded by his nephew Abul Hasan
Tana Shah in 1672.
Abnl Hasao (Tana Shah) (1672-87)
The Prime Minister of Abul Hasan was Akkanna a Vaishaavs
Brahmin. Madnnna, the brother of Akkanna was the commander-
in-chief ar ihc airny. In February 1677, Abul Haaao entered into an
alliance with Shivaji aganist Aurangzeb. On 7 March 1677, Shivai
visited Hyderabcd and was entertained Iavishly by Tana Shab.
Aurangzeb was incensed by these acts. So he attacked Golconda
in 1687. Akkanna and Madanna were murdered by fanatic Muslims.
Golconda fort was gallantly defended by Abdur Razzaq. Even after
seven months of siege, Aurangzeb could not take it. At last by
recoursing t o bribery he entered the fort. Abdur Kazzaq fought
bravely and refused to serve under Aurangzeb. Tana Shah was
captured and imprisoned at Daulatabad. 'I'he fa11 of Golconda
fort in October 1687 marked the end of th:. Qutb Shahi dynasty.
Golsonda was annexed to the Mughal Empire.
The nephew of Akkanna and Madanna was Kanchada Gopanna.
Tahmildar o f Badrachalarn. Gopanna afterwards becanie famous as
Ramadasu (slave of Rama). He misappropriated about Rs 61 l a b s
from the Government treasury to construct a temple for Sri Rama
at Badrachalam. For this he was imprisoned at Golconda fort.
According to popular belief Sri Rams nnrl Lakshmana appeared
before Tana Shah and returned the money.
Mughal Conquest of the Deccan
After the battle of Talikota (25 January 1565) the ~ d t a n sof
the Deccan once again reverted to tbeir old game of internecine
warfare. Taking advantage of this disunity the MughaI Emperor
A k b u wied to extend his suzerainty over the Deccan, He first
18 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

turned his attention on Ahmadnagar which was beseiged in 1595.

The city was defended with great courage by the Dowager queen
Chand Bibi, but was forced to accept the Mughal suzerainty and
cede Berar. The kingdom was attacked for the second time in 1600,
but the kingdom was annexed only during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Shah Jahan did not like the Shia states ot' Golconda and Bijapur.
Tn 1636 he marched to the Deccan in preparation to attack these
States. The Qutb Shah ruler of Golconda Abdulla acknowledged
the suzerainty of Shah Jahan and agreed to pay annual tribute.
Aurangzeb was appointed as the Viceroy of the Deccan. The
Mughal area in the Deccan then consisted of Khandesh, Berar,
Daulatabad and part of Telengana. Aurangzeb returned to Agra
in 1644. In 1653 Aurangzcb came to the Deccan for the second
time as Viceroy and stayed for four years.
The Fall of Golconda
In 1682 Aurangzeb came to the Deccan as emperor t o crush t h e
Maratha power and also the Shia kingdoms of Bijapur and Gol-
conda. The kingdom of Bijapur was conquered in 1686. The siege
of Golconda commenced on 28 June 1685. The king of Golconda
Abul Hasan Tana Shah defended the fort bravcly for eight months.
But Aurangzeb by means o f bribery succeeded in capturing Gol-
conda in October 1687. After the fall of Golconda Aurangzeb
carried on the warfare against the Marathas for 20 years, but could
not succeed against them. He died at Ahmadnagar on 20 February
1707.
 Coming of the Europeans
From time immemorial till the beginning of the 19th century India
was noted for its excellent textiles and other industria1 products. It
carried as an extensive trade both maritime and overland with
Europe. The products and manufactures of India including Andhra
were in great demand in foreign markets. During the first three
centuries of the Christian era India had very brisk trade with the
Roman empire. The Andhra Satavahanas had trade contacts with
Rome and the ladies o f that city took pride in dressing themselves
with Indian s i l h and other textiles. I11 73 A.D. Pliny spoke very
highly of the superior excellence of the Tndian muslins.
However in the 7th century the old trade routes through Egypt
and Syria were closed when these countries fell into the hands of the
Arabs. From then onwards the bulk of the trade fell into the hands
of the Arab traders who carried the Indian products to the markets
of Levant. With the capture of Constantinople in I452 by the Turks,
the overla~ld trade route to lndia was closed. From then onwards
the commerce o l thc east became the monopoly of the Italian cities
of Venice and Genoa. The other European nations became jealous
of the prosperity of Venice and Genoa and tried to discover a non-
Mediterranean sea route to Tndia.
The Portuguese took the lead in discovering the sea route to
India. Prince Henry of Portugal, surnamed 'the Navigator' inspired
and encouraged Portuguese sailors to undertake voyages for the
discovery of the sea-route to India. The efforts of prince H e n r y
bore fruit in 1948, when a Portuguese navigator Vssco Da Gama
arrived at Calicut on the west coast of India. The long sought for
sea route to lndia was thus discovered.
The Portuguese were well received by Zamorin, the Raja of
Calicut. Very soon they established settjements at Cdicut, Cochin
and Cannanore. The Portuguese had two aims : (1) to divert tba
Asian trade to Europe from land routes controlled by the Muslims
to the newly discovered sea route which was controlled by t h e
Portuguese, (2) to advance enstwards from Tndia to South-Easr Abla
and China.
During the years 1500-1509 be Portuguese succeeded in gaining
control over the Indian Ocean. They established a bssa at C o c k
20 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHBA

'
in 1503. The next year Francisco de Almeida came t o Cochin as
Viceroy of Portuguese possessions in India. He felt that the
resources of Portugal should not be wasted in establishing a terri-
torial empire in India and wanted that the Portuguese should
maintain supremacy on sea and confine their activities t o purely
commercial transactions. His policy is known as the 'blue water'
policy.
The 'blue water' policy was reversed by Alfanso de Albuquerquc,
the succesqor of De Almeida. He conquered Goa in 1510 and
Malacca (Malaysia) in 15L 1. Krishnadeva Raya, the ruler of Vijaya-
nagar maintained friendly relations with the Portuguese and allowed
them to retain Goa. From Malacca the Portuguese advanced
further east and brought under their control Moluccas and other ,
islands in South-East Asia.
The Portuguese trade monopoly in the east was challenged by the
Dutch toaards the end o f the 16th century. The Dutch ,

used to distribute spices and other eastern products in Northern

Europe by making purchases a t Lisbon and other ports in tlte Iberian
Peninsula. I n 1594 Philip II the ruler of Spain and Portugal, issued
an edict preventing the entry of Dutch ships to Lisbon and other
ports of his empire. This action of Philip TI denied t o the Dutch
their access to spices, so they decided t o seek the eastern products
for themselves. By that time the Dutch were in a position to venture
into the eastern trade.
A Dutch traveller Van Linschoten spent nine years in South-
East Ada and returned home in 1592. He published two books
Rc~sgeschriftand 11it2erario in 1595 and 1596 respectively. The first
book was a manual of sailing directions for the eastern seas. The
second gave an account of the author's travels and observations in
the east. The effect of these publications was tremendous. For the
first time the Europeans were able to get correct inforniation regard-
ing the east. The merchants of Holland acted immediately. In I 595
a syndicate called Campagnie Van Verre was formed. A trade
expedition to Soul h-East Asia under the command of Cornelis de
Hontman, was sent. The expedition reached Bantam, a port on the
North-West Coast of Java in June 1596. The expedition was a
success and during the years 1595-1601 as many as 15 trade expedi-
tions were qent, by independent and often competing syndicates. In
1600 when the English East India Company war formed, the
State-General of the NetherIands felt that in order to maintain
the Dutch Supremacy of trade in the east, the different companies
should amalgamate. Accordingly in 1602 the private trading com-
panies were amalgamated and a new company known as the Veree-
nigde Oostindische Compagriia (United East India Company of the
Netherlands) was formed under the patronage o f t h e State. The
Dutch wanted to monopolise tBe spice trade and so they concentrated
their attention on the East Tndies rather than India. Wylbrand
Van Warwijck commanded the first fleet of 1 5 ships sent out by the
V-O.C. The V.O.C. established factories at Java, Celebes and other
 COMING OF .THE EUROPEANS. 21

places in the East Indies. In India it estabhshed factories at Surat,

Machilipatnam and Potaploli (Kri~hna District). Thc other Dutch
settlements were at Nagapattimm, Narasapurarn, Bheemunipatnam,
Chinsurali (Bengal) etc.
The Comming o f the Englkh
England like other European countries imported eastern products
like spices which were carried to English ports in Italian ships.
England was also interested in finding an Asian market for its woollen
cloth. But before the 17th century England could not participate in
the eastern trade due to a variety of. reasons. Firstly, its shipping
was not developed to undcrtake long journeys across the oceans.
Secondly, its geographical position on the Atlantic Scn-board kept
it sway from the focus of the European trade in the Mediterranean.
By the end of the 16th century these hurdles were removed. Eng-
land's shipping had been developed and it was able to expfoit its
geographical position in relation to trans-atlantic routes as the Indian
and Atlantic oeeans were opened up.
England's hostility with Spain forced it to seek colonial and
commercial expansion by following anti-Spanish overseas foreign
policy. In Noveniber 1579, the English sailor Francis Drake visited
Ternate in the Moluccas. His voyage was very important as it
demonstrated that light fast ships tubich England had could cross the
oceans. The merchants of London were keen to pnrticipnte in the
trade of the east. But Queen Elizabeth I did not encourage them as
shc felt thaz the sea route via the Cape of Good Hope was too
dangerous.
In 1583 Ralph Fitch, an Englishman, arrived at the Persian Gulf.
He was arrested by the Portuguese and brough~to Goa. HCescaped
from detention and reached Malacca before returoicg home. His
reports on the wealth of India stimulated the desire of the British
merchants to participate in the lucrative trade of the east. English
victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 gave further stimulus to
the British merchtiuts. Finally thc publication of the two books by
the Dutch traveller Van Linschoten removed the lurking Fear about
the sea routes to the enst. So a group of London merchants applied
to Queen Elizabeth I to grant them a charter permitting trade with
East. The Queen acceded to their request and on the Jast day of
1600 a company under the titic of "The Governor and Company of
Merchants of London trading into the fist Indies," was formed.
The Company was granted the monopoly of trade between the Cape
of Good Hopeond the Magellan Straits for a period of I5 yeara.
The affairs of the Company were managed by a Governor and a
Committee of "twenty-four" named in the Charter, but allerwards
they were to be elected annually by the subscribers, The committee
later developed into the Court of Directors. The work of the Court
OF Dirtctors was supervised by "General Court" comprising share
holders, The General Court Iater on came to be known as the C o w
of Proprietors.
22 HISTORY OF MODERN AND-

For the first voyage which was commanded by James Lancaster

the Company raised a capital o f f . 68,000. The tleet arrived at the
port of Achitl (in Indonesia) in June 1602. The Company established
a factory at Bagtan which was made the headquarters of the English
trade in the Bast Indies. The Dutch who had already established
themselves in the eastern trade did not oppose the English.
The second voyage of the Company was commnndcd by Henry
Middleton. The English Company wanted to open direct relations
with the spice producing areas like Amboina and the Banda islands.
The attitude of the Dutch towards the Englisl~changed as they real-
ised that the market for spices in Europe was limited. They there-
fore did not like the British intrusion and wanted to estabIish a
Dutch monopoly of spice trade a t aoy cost.
The Third Voyage
The third voyage is memorable since for the first time, the
English landed at Surat in 1608. Capt. Hawkins, the English Com-
mander went to the Mughal court and was given an audience b~
Emperor Jahaagir. The English were permitted to settle at Surat.
The permission was, however, revoked due to the pressures from the
Portuguese. Thus the English Company had to face the Dutch
opposition in the East Indies and Portuguese opposition in India.
The Company realised that there was no market for the British
woollens in South-East Asia, but there was a great demand in that
area for the Indian textiles. The company therefore decided to force
its way into the textile trade of India in spite of the fierce Portuguese
opposition.
The Voyagc of the 'Globe'
The English Company despatched a ship called 'Globe' under the
command of Hippon to engage in trade in the Bay of Bengal and
the Gulf of Siam. 'Globe' arrived at Machilipatnam in January
1611. The English opened negotiations with the ruler of Golconda
for trading facilities on the coast of And hra. The English Company
was permitted to establish a factory at Machilipatnam in 1611. Thus
the voyage of the 'Globe' opened a new chapter in ihe history of the
English Company. It led not only to rhe establishment of an English
factory at Machilipatnam, but also opened up commercial rela-
tions with Siam and Burma.
In spite of the early dficulties, the Company continued to
engage itself in the trade of the east. In 1612 its prospects brightened
up when a Portuguese fleet Mas-defeated off SwalIy near Surat. As
a result of this victory the ritrsh prestige shot up at the Mughal
court. Jahangir granted a 'Firman' in 1613 alIowing the English
Company to establish a permanent factory a t Surat. In 1615, the
Portuguese were again defeated by the English. The Company decided
tu take advantage of their victory and consolidate its position in
India. It therefore urgid the government to send a duly accredited
ambmsador to the Mugha1 court. Accordingly in 16 1 5 Sir Thomas
Roe was sent to the court of Iahangir as an ambassador from king
 James I of England. He was instructed to secure permanent trading
facilities for the Company.
Sir Thomas Roe failed LO secure a commercial treaty from the
Emperor due to the intrigues of the Portuguese. But he succeeded in
getting many privileges to the company which was allowed to set
up factories in different areas of the Mughal Empire. lo the annds
of the Company Roe is memorable for the policy he outlined for
the English in India. He recommended the policy o f peaceful trade
and opposed the policy of militarism pursued by the Portuguese and
the Dutch in the East. Roe Felt that "A war and traffic are incompat-
ible" and advised his countrymen to "seek profit a t sea and in
quiet trade."
The English Company was able to overcome the opposition of
the Portuguese. In 1620 the Portuguese fleet was defated 06Jask
on the coast of Persia i l ~ ~ttvo
d years later it helped the Shah of
Persia to capture Ormuz from the Portuguese. These defeats weak-
ened the Portuguese position in India and English Company
factories at Surat and other places grew in importance. The Portu-
guese ceased to be the rivals of the English in India. In 1635 the
Portuguese government at Goa concluded peace with the President
of the English Carupany at Surat.
The Anglo-Dutch Rivalry
In the Spice Islands, the Dutch proved to be too strong for the
English. From 1610 onwards the V.O.C. changed its attitude
towards rhc East lndio Company us to receive orders- from its
government to enforce monopoly. When David Middleton who
commanded the firth voyage of the English Company arrived at
Banda Neira the Dutch ordered him to retreat. He therefore
withdrew to the island Wei which was not undcr the Dutch control.
The English Company invoked thc support of their government.
D u e to the efforts of the British Ambassador at The Hague, two con-
ferences were held at London and The Hague in 1613 nod 1615 rcs-
pectively. But nothing came out of them. The Dutch claifned mono-
poly of the spice trade as they bore all the risk and expenditure in
expelling the Portuguese from the East Indies. The English refused
to pay any share of the expenditure the Dutch already incurred.
The Company decided to carry on the trade in the East Indies
despite the. opposition from the V.O.C, as the tradc iu spkcs was
very lucrat~ve. It decided to adopt a forward policy towards the
v.0.C. To enforce !he policy i t sent Thomas Dale who made a
name for himself 5s an efficient admin~stratorin the colony of
Virginia. He arrived a t the Spice Islaods with a fleet of six ships.
He was given authority over all the Company's factories except
Surat. At the senie time the Dutch appointed a new Gdvernor-
General, Jan Piaterzsoon Coen who proved to be more W a match
for Dale.
la early 1619 Dale was able to expel the Dutch from their
factory a t Djakarta. But within a short time Coen was able to
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

reimpose the Dutch authority at that piace. Thereupon Dale

all the English goods from Bantam to the Coromandal
coast of India. He decided to launch a naval attack on the Dutch
fleet from Machilipatnam. But his Aeet of six ships were destroyed
by the Dutch. Daledied at Macbilipatnam in August 1619. The
forward policy of the Company thus ended in disaster. The position
of the Company in the &st Indies was saved due to the develop-
ments in Europe. The two compnnies were prevailed upon by their I
respective governments to renew negotiations which resulted in a
treaty of defence in July 1619. Thr treaty allowed the East India
Company to have a third share of the spice trade of the Moluccas.
Coen reacted sharply to the treaty as he felt that the English had
no claim even to a particle of sand on the beach in the Moluccas.
The treaty proved to be unworkable and in 1621, the Dutch expelled
the English from the island Run, near Atn boina. The East lndia
Company dccided early in 1623 to wind up its business in the
Moluccas, the Bandas and Ambaina. Orders to this effect were sent,
but before they reached the East indies the 'Massacre of Amboyna'
took place. In February 1623 ten Englishmen, nine Japanese and
one Portuguese were tried and put to death by the Dutch on the
charge of conspiring to capture the Dutch fort of Amboyna. Afcer
this incident, the East India Company gave up its contest with the
V.0.C. in the East Indies and decided to concentrate on Lndia. 11
The Company realised the important role played by the 111dian
textiles in the exchange economy of South-East Asia. It decided to
purchase the textiles of India and barter them for pepper and spices
in the markets of South-East Asia. The calicoes, chintzes and pxlam- \
pores of Andhca were very much in demand in markets in South-East
Asia.
Acquisition of Madras
As early as 1612 the English established their factory at Surat.
On the east coast of India they established their factory at Machili-
patnam, t h e great p o ~ oft the kingdom of Golconda. In addition to
being a fine port Machilipatnarn was also an important lllarket for
diamonds and rubies for which Golconda was famous. Besides it
wa; a great centrz of textile trade. The famous chintzes and palam-
pores were produced in abundance in the villages around that place.
It is no wonder that the English made it the headquarters of their
settlements on the Coro~nandalc o a t . But the position of the Eng-
lisb at that place was not enviable. Besides facing the Dutch rivalry
and the Portuguese jealousy they had to bear the brunt of the op-
pression of the local Vuhamrnednn oficials ofthe Sultan of Golconda,
For a time the English tolerated the vexations of the local
since the textile trade of the place was highry profitable. ~h~ Eng-
lish made a number of representations to the Sultan at Golconda
without avail. As the vexations increased they resolved to abandon
their factory at Macbjlipatnam and establish a new one in the south
outside the territorial limits of the Golconda kingdom. la 1621 they
 COMING OF THE EUROPEANS 25

established a factory at the Dutch settlcment of Pulicat, but aban-

doned it very.soon as they could not overcome the jealousy of the
Dutch. In 1626 they established a factory at Arumugam or Arma-
goan situated 35 miIes north of Pulicat in the Nellorc district.
Armagoan was not a good port. Moreover its hinterland did not
produce quality textiles suitable for the overseas market. Further
the political condition of the Carnatic; in which Armagoan was
locatrd was very much disturbed. The English, once again, were in
search for a suitable place on the east coast to establish their factory.
Machilipatnam was however safe as it was under the firm control of
Golconda. The English were tempted to go back to Machilipatnam
since the Sultan offered them some privileges. They therefore aban-
doned Armagoan and returned to Machilipatnam. But on reaching
the place they found it was no longer a flourishing centrc of textiles.
Due to a severe famine in the area most of the weavers were either
dead or had Iefr the place to other centres in search of employment.
The English agent at MnchiIipatnam was Thomas Clarke.
Francis Day was his subordinate at Armagoan. When the directors
of the Euglialr Company decided in 1638-39to dismanrle their factory
at Armagoan, Francis Day visited Pondicherry and its neighbourhood
to select a suitable site for the English factory. On Icatning the
desire of the English to establish a factory south of Armagoan,
Damerla Venkotadri, the Governor of the Rajah of Chnndragiri
made an offer to Day to establish a settlement at Madraspatnam in
the Chandragiri dominion. Venkatadri's brother Aiyappa resided
I at ~oaarnnlle(west of Madras) and looked after the coastal region.
Thest two brothers belonged lo the Vclugoti Family of Srikalahasti.
The brothers felt that if the English established a factory they would
stand t o gain as the region produced textiles in abundance.
Day visited the neigbbourhood of Madras in the summer of 1634
to examine the site end also the textiles of the region. He was
offered quality cloth kt a cheep ratc. He negotiated with the
Darnerla brothers and on 22 July 1639 obtained from them the grant
of thc Chandragiri ruler prenlitting the Englis11 to build a fort at
Madmsnpatnam. Under the terms of tlte grant, the English were
allowed to mint coins and receive half the customs and rewnues of
the port. Besides these privileges the Chandragiri ruler guaranteed to
reimburse the English all the monies paid by them to the weavers of
the localify in case they failed to honour their contracts for the
supply of textiles.
The Council at Surat which controlled the English factories on
the East coast oT India issued an order an 8 Janllary 1640 allowing
~ a toy take possession of Mndras. Day dismantled the factory at
Ar nlagoall and reached Madrasapntnm on 20 February 1640. On
1 March, the construcilon of Fort St. George began. A number of
weavers settled near the place and named their locality as Cbennappa
Patn;Lrn, after Darnerla, Chennappa, father o f Damerla Venkaladri.
Chennapatnam was different from Madraspatnam, Tbc Madras.
pntnam village existed even before the English established their
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

settlement in 1639-40. It was situated north of the fort St. George.

Within a short time the two villages expanded rapidly and virtually
became one town. The English preferred to call rhe twin villages as
Madrasapatnam, while the Indians called them Chennapatnam. In
the course of time the exact location of Chennapatnam and Madrasa-
patnam came to be confused. As Madrasapatnarn grew in impor-
tance it came to be known simply as Madras. On 24 September
1641 it was made chief of the English factories on the east coast.
When Mir Jumla conquered the neighboorhood of Madras in !
1647, he confirmed the privileges of the English there. In 1684
Madras was made a presidency. I n 1688 it was provided with a
municipal government with a Mayor and tenaldermen of whom
seven were to be Indians.
Establishment of a New Company
At home the Company faced a critical situation. In 1635 a
group of London merchants headed by Sir William Courten secured
1
a licence from Charles I for trade in the East. This ended the 1
monopoly of the orig~nalcompany. After a ruinous competition
the two companies H-ere merged in 1649. Iu I697 Cromwell granted '
I

a charter to the Company to raise a permanent joint stock. This

had greatly improved the finances of the Company. Charles I1 by a
series of Charters invested rhe Company with the "attributes of a
delegated sovereignty." James I1 granted the Company the right to
coin money, to exercise jurisdiction over English subjects and to
make war and pcace with non-Christian peoples.
Acquisition of Bombay
Charles I1 got Bombay, from the king of Portugal, as a part of
tbe dowry of his wife Catherine of Braganza. In 1688 he g: v t it to
the Co~npanyfor a nominal rent of f 10 a year. Within a short
time Bombay grew in importance and replaced Surat as the chief
settlement of the Conlpany on the west coast.
Change in Company's l'olicy
During the last decades of the 17th century the Company chang-
ed its policy of peaceful trade laid dovtn by Sir Thomas Roe, due LO
the troubled political situation. Aurangzeb's protracted wars with
the Marathas disturbed the internal order. Shivaji twice sacked
Surat and threatened to capture the English factory there, 1n the
South, Shivaji captured Jinji and passed very close to Madras. In
Bengal and Gujarat, the Company was involved in a number of
hostilities with Aurangzeb. But in 1690 peace was concluded and
Aurangzeb allowed the Company to continue its trade.
Towards the close of the 17th century, the Company faced serious
opposition at home. I n 1698 a new company called "The English
Company trading to the East Indies" was formed. A ruinous corn-
Petition took place between the two companies, However in 1708,
the disputes between the two companies were settled by the ~ o d o l -
phids award. The two companies were amalgamated under the title
 COMING OF TFJEEUROPEANS 27

"United Company OF Merchants of Engtand trading to the East

Indies". The United Company is better known as "The Honorable
East rndia Company." It continued its corporate existence down t o
the mutiny of 1857.
French SettIement
By the middle of the 17th century, the English Company gained
the upper hand in the trade with India and eliminated the competi-
tion from the Dutch. Just a t that time France also appeared on the
scene with their own Company 'La Compagoie Des Indes' and estsb-
lished trading settlements a t Machilipatnam (1669). Pondicherry
(1673) and Chandranagaorc (1690). Thc settlements at Mahe, Karai-
kal and Yanam were established at a Inter date.
Economic Conditions of the
Andhra in 18th Century
In 1687, the kingdom of Golconda was occupied by Aurangzcb,
As a result, Telengaca and a large part of coastal Andbra became
parts of the Mughal empire. Aurangzeb could not consolidate his
conquests of the Deccail as he was busy fighting the Marathas. As
a result the administration became slack and there was no law and
order. With the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the disintegration of
the Mughal Empire had set in. In the confusion that foitowed the
economy of the country was shattered. The weavers and other
artisan classes in Andhra were able to survive as their products were
readily purchased by the European traders.
The Textiles
The textilea of Andhra were a craze among all sections of the
population not only in South-East Asian countries but also in Eng-
land, France, Persia, etc. A remarkable featwc of the dyed chintzes
of Machilipatnam was that colours became more bright and beauti-
ful after washing. In England, calicoes and chintzes were in great
demand. To protect the local textile industry England followed a
policy of protection and in 1700 and 1721 n number of laws were
enacted prohibiting the import of Indian textiles and even the wear-
ing of calicoes. This prohibition did not cause any harm to rhe
industry as it had a ready market elsewhere in Europe and South-
East Asia.
During the eighteenth century the textileindustryin Andhra flour-
ished even though the political condition was very much disturbed.
The Dutch, Portuguese and the French merchants used to advance
c liberal sums of money to the weavers and accepted cloth produced
by them without insisting on quality. In Comparison, the English
paid very little to the weavers and insisted ou quality of the textiles
produced by the weavers. The English agents were not very popular
and frequently the weavers refused to producecloth for the East
India Company. When the English agents tried t? invoke the
of the Subedar at Hyderabad, they were plainly told that
no special privileges would be granted to them. The Dutch, the
28 USTORY OF MODERN AND-

French aod the Portuguese had no trouble a t all since they did not
ask for special privileges. These merchants were encouraged to pur-
chase the textilt: of the coastal Andhra as it meant good revenue t o
the government. At Mac11iIipatna.m about 5000 tveavers worked for
the Dutch. They were paid 5000 Madras pagodas and cheap provi-
sions. At Injaram 2000 weavers worked for the Dutch and 700 f a
the English. Besides the factory at Injaram, the English had fac-
tories at Maddepalem, Bandamurilanka, Tuni, Kakinada, Corinka,
GoIlapalem and Visalchapatnam. In all these places, the English
who wanted best cloth a t a cheap rate faced stiff competition from
other European merchants, specially, the Dutch, and the Portuguese.
The Dutch merchants were very popular as they paid the rates
demanded. All the cloth produced a t Berhampur, Bimunipatnam,
Visakhapatnam and Tuni was sold t o them. These rebuffs from the
merchants and the competition from other European companies
made the East India Company want to gain rnollopoly over their
textile trade.
The textile industry in Andhra was wideIy diffused. But produc-
tion of fine and super-he clothes was concentrated in particular
towns. Berhampur was noted for its quality silks and S r i k a k u l a
for its muslim. Machilipatnam was a world famous centre for
chintzes and palampores.
In the coastaI Andhra there were Inany zamindars who defied the
central authority with impunity. These zamindars were of three
types (1) Velamas of Telaga origin driven out of the Carnatic by the
Muslim armies and who had established themselves on the borders of
tbe Krishna, (2) the Rachawars of Orissa who were forced to leave
the plains and rcturn to the hilly area north of Godavari and
(3) Oriyas, who after the fall of thc Gajapati empire in Orissa estab-
lished themselves in Sriktlkulam districts.1
The military forces of the zamindars were of tbree kinds (1) com-
mon peons who were paid in cash and were expected t o bein
common attendance, (2) the Mokkasa who were paid by the grant of
land, and (3) the Manovarty peons who were military tenents of a
high order bound to bring their adherents to the field.2
All the lands in northern circars were divided into two categories
(1) the Zamindari and (2) Haveli or Government. The land assess-
ment was 115th of the produce. The zamindars were notorious for
their ~ppressionof the peasantry. They also collected land customs
On all articles of commerce like food, cattle, s d t , etc. These taxes
known 'Swtkanu' were coljected a t short intervals. They hamper-
ed the growth of industry and comn\erce. Besides there other
imposts under various names. A loom tax o r moturpha was also
levied.
I . Ramtln Rao, A.V., 'The Economic Development of Andhra Pradeth, 1766-
I957', Bombay (1956), p. 5 .
2. fhU.
 The Circar region produced rice in abundance. Its forests pro-
duced a fine variety of teak which was used in ship building. The
ship building industry at Curinkn was able to withstand the competi-
tion from outside. The fishing industry was also highly developed.
The inland commerce and maritime exports of the Circar region was
to the tune of 75 Iakhs a ye3r.3
 The Nizam and the East
India Company
The Founding of Hyderabad State 1724
After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 the Mughal empire became
very weak. The Subtdars of different provinces tried t o assert their
independence. In Deccan the Subedar was Mir Qumaruddin Khan
Chin Qilich Khan, popularly known by his title Nitam-ul-MuIk.
During his two year ( 1 7 13-15) stay in the Deccan he was able to
restore order. But he was recaIled to Delhi in 1715 and his place
, in Hyderabad was taken by Syed Hussain AIi Khan. In 1720 Nizam
, ul-Mulk was sent as Subedar of Malwa. by the Syed brothers, the
kingmakers at Delhi. Sut in April 1720, Qamaruddin Khnn left
Malwa and pioceeded towards the Deccan. On the way he captured
Asirgarh and Burhanpur and defeated the two armies sent by the
Syed brothers under the commaud of Dilawar Ali Khan and Alam
Ali Khan. Meanwhile Syed Hussain Ali Khan the Subedar of the
Deccan was murdered. This had strengthened the position of
Nizam-ul-Mulk. He accepted the oflet to become a minister of
the Imperial Court. He stayed at Delhi for three years. But he left
Delhi for Hyderabad in 1724 as he was disgusted by the intrigues at
I the capital. He defeated Mubariz Khan, the Subedar of the Deccan
I at Shakarkheda on I 1 October 1724. The battle marks the establish-
ment of the hereditary rule of Niza~nsin the Deccan. The Emperor,
1 Muhammad Shah recognised the 'fait accompli'. He confirmed
Nizam-ul Mulk as the Subedar of the Deccan and conferred on him
the titIe h a f Jab.
Nizam-01-Matk 1724-48
As Subedar of the Deccan Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah controlfed
the present State of Andhra Pradesh and portions of Tamil Nadu
and Orissa. In 1727 and 1729 he came into conflict with the Mara-
thas as be refused to accept their claim to levy chauth (a tax consist-
ing of one-fourth of the land revenue). In 1731 he was defeated by
the Marathas and forced to accept their claim. To 1737 he
 =AM AND THE BAS'FINDIA COMPANY 31
went to Delhi to assist the emperor. The emperor bestowed the
provinces of Malwa and Gujarat on the eldest son of Asaf Jah-
Ghaziuddin. But the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739 convinced
Asaf Jah that the Mughal empire would not last longer. He therefore
returned to Hyderabad in 1744 and began to cultivate good relations
with the English East India Company at Madras. He died in 1748
at the age of 78. He left behind six sons and a number of grand-
sons.
Anglo French RivaIry
Of the two Companies, that is the English, and thc French, the
former was wealthier and more vigorous intrude than the latter.
While that o f the British was a private affair, that of the French was
a Government sponsored one-"Offspring of State patronage than the
outcome of spontaneous mercantile activity." I t was therefore
rather inferior in enterprise than the English Company financially
and as such unable to ply a vigorous trade.
The first struggle between the English and French in Indin took
place in the Carnatic during 1744-48, It was in fact an ext~nqionof
the Austrian Succession War which broke out in Europe in 1740
where England and France took opposite sides. During that time
the Nawab of Carnatic issued a declaration prohibiting the English
and the French from waging war in his territory. The Frcnch defied
the orders. So the Nawab sent a big force egainst the French.
But the well-trained French forces, though small in number, were
able to defeat the huge indisciplined army of thc Nawab, a t Adyar.
This victory canviaccd *ha French o f their invicibility. Their ambi-
tions begun to soar and they began to intervene in the wars of the
Indian rulers.
Thou@t the Austrian Succession War came to an end in 1748
by the treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle, the Anglo-French conflict renewed
in India. On 2 June 1748 the Nizam of Hyderabad died and a
dispute arose between Muzaffar Jang and Nasir Jang for succession
to the throne. The former was the grandson (daughter's son) and
the ratter the son of the late Nizam. A similar dispute arose between
Chanda Sahib and Anwaruddin for the throne of the Carnatic. The
French supported Muzaffar Jang and Chaiida Sahib, while the
English supported the rival claimants namely Nasir Jang and
Mohammad Ali. the son of Anwaruddin who was killed in a battIe
with Chanda Sahib at Ambur in 1749. The Battle of Ambur is
significant in the history of Andhra. The French Governor of
Pondicherry, Dupleix made Chanda Sahib the Nawab of Carnatic.
Muzaffar Jang, granted to the French, Masulipatnam and Divi to
express his gratitude for his help rendered to his ally Chanda Sahib.
Earlier Muzaffar Jang himself was able to become the Nizam of
Hyderabad with the help of the French. Nasir Jang, the rival of
Munaffar Jang, was murdered due to the treachery of the Nawabs
of Kurnool and Cuddapah.
Muzaffar Jaug an becoming the Nizam expressed his gratitude to
the French by appointiag Dupleix as Viceroy of all the territory
 H I S ~ I ( YOF MODERN ANDHRA
32
south nvcr
the i(rirhna. Ysnnm (adjacent to Kakhada) was 1
given to the French-
Muzaffar Jang while proceeding to Hyderabad from Pondi?herry
was also murdered by the Nawabs of Cuddapah and K u r n ~ o lat
Rayachoty, T[le French General Bussy, however, took full control
of tho situation and Salabat Jang (a brother of Nasir
jaog) as the new Niram. Bussy escorted the new ruler to Hydera-
bad installed him in power. The new Nizam, besides confirming
the previour grants, gave additional villages around Masulipatnaln to
the French. Nizampatnam, Kondavid and Narasapur Were also
granted to the French.
From 1751 to 1758 Bussy remained in Hyderabad and helped
SaIabat Jang to consolidate his position. He also helped Salabat
Jang in his wars with the Marathas and in his relations with the
ruler of Mysore. For this help the French were given in \752 the
Circar of Kondavid adjacent to Masulipatnam and noted For its
textiles which were in great demand in Europe. The next acquisition
was even far more important. The Nizam greed to pay Rs 2 lakhs
every month for the French contingent stationed at Hyderabad. As
a result of this treaty the whoIe of coastal Andhra from Ganjam to
Guntur comprising of the Circars of Chicacole, Rajahmundry.
E\uru, Mustafa Nagar (Kondapalli) came under the Firench con-
trol.
Though the French acquired the nortbern Circars tlrey could
not make their presence felt in the area due to the opposition of the
local Fauzdars. Rajahs and Zamindars. Jafar Ali, the Nizam's
Faujdar at Chicacole, refused to recognise the cession of the Circars
to the French and rose in revolt against them. The Raja of Vijaya-
nagaram, the mast powerful zarnindar of the region, supported him.
The French chief at Masulipatnam, realisiog the futility of opposing
their combined forces, cleverly managed to win over the Raja by
psomiring to lease to him the revenue colIectian of Chicacole and
RajRbrnundry. Jafar Ali, thereupon. appealed to the Marathas at
Nagpur for help. They plundered Vi jayanagaram territory. But
they were defeated by the Frwch at Thumrnapa\em near
pslle.
In 1756, the Nizam for a short time dispensed with the services of
Bussy. At Once there were wide-spread revolts against the French in
coastal Andhra. Bussy. however, staged a comeback and asserted
his podtion at Hyderabad. He then proceeded to the
s put down the revolts of the local zamindars. lt was in
C i ~ m r to
the C O u m of this march that he instimted vijaya R~~~ ~~j~ of
Vija~anagmam to attdclc Bobbili in 1757. ~h~ heroic resistante
offered by the Bobbili forces, the final capture of fort by the
French and the murder of Vifaya Rama Raju arc
The battle of Bobbili has become one remembered even
fn the of Andhra. The fall of Bobbili the famous cpisodcs
proved to be a warn-
"g Other m i n d a n . They accepted Ule Fnnch supremaq
a Busy returned to Hydcrabad st the besinoing
of 1798,
 THB'N~ZAMAND .TRB EAST I N D I A COMPANY 33:

In l7SS the third Carnatic War broke out. Immediately Bussy

was recaIled from Hyderabad. That led to the dcctine of the French
influence in thc D-axan. The Raja OF Vijayanagaram, Ananda Gaja-
pathi Raju, marched against Chicacoie and captured it. He corres-
ponded with the British authorities at Madras and also Robert
Clive in Bengal. In the meantime he captured Viagapatam from
the French and undertook to hand it over to thc English.
Clive, who established British supremacy in Bengal after the
battle of Plassey in 1757, responded to the invitation of the Vijaya-
nagaram rulcr and sent Col. Forde to meet Ananda Gajapathi Raju.
On 2 1 Kovember 1758 the ruler of Vijayanagaram and the British
East India Company entered into a treaty. The treaty stipulated that
the plunder should be equnlly divided and that the countries which
might he conquered should be delivered to the Rajah, but that the
sea ports and the towns at the mouth of the rivers sl~ouldbclang to
the Company,
After the signing of the treaty the combined forces of Ananda
Gajapati Raju and Col. Forde marched towards Rajahmundry and
on 7 December 1759 defeated the French at the battle of Chandurti
in East Godavari district. The battle is one of the decisive battles
in the history of India. According to Col. Malleson few battles
have produced more brilliant results It led to the expulsion of the
French from the Circars. Farde captured Masuliparam on 8 April
1752. Salabat Jang realiring that the French cause was lost came
to terms with the British. On 14 May 1759 he cedcd to the British
Nizarnpatnam, portions of the circarr of Machilipaloam and Kon-
dapalle. The French were asked to Ieave the Nizam's dominions
within a fortnight. In 1762 Nizam Ali, brother of Salabat Jmg
usurped the throne,
Nizam AIP (1762-1803)
Nizam Mi Khan was the fourth son of Nizam-ul-Mulk and
opposed the French iduence at Hyderabad. He acted as the
Governor of Befar from 1757. He was defeated by the Marathas
twice, first in December 1757 at Sindakhed and next in January 1760
at Udgir. He lost Naldurg. Ahmadnagar, Daulaltahad, Burhanpur
and Bijapur. Meanwhlie the French idhence at Hyderabad was
declining. As noted earlier Col. Farde attacked and captured
Machiliparnam for the EngIish. Taking advan~age of the discornfi-
ture of Salabat Sang, Nizam Ali deposed his brother and became
the ruler of Hyderabad. He was willing to m t the three middle
circars to the British in return for military help against the Marathas.
But the Bri~ishdeclined the offer as their banes were full with the
affairs in the Carnatic. In 1763, when the Third Carnatic War W e
I to an end, they expressed their willingness to accept the N i m ' s
I
*Nizam Ali Khan was the first ruler of the Hyderabad Stare to use the fills
Nizam and henccfurth the title Nizam WAF adopled by all the sbbsequent
rulers of the Statc.
Sarojini Rsgani, Nlzom-Brftish Rrfnrlons, 1724-1857. p. 124.
34 HETORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

made three years back. But Nizam Ali changed his mind and
nothing came out.
Robert (3live, who became the Governor of Bengal for the second
time in 1165, persuaded the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam, to issue a
'Farman' ceding all the northern Circars to the British. The Nizam
refused to accept the 'Farman' of his titular suzerain. Thereupon,
John pybus, the British resident of the East India Company at
Machilipatnam, sent Kandregula Jogipantulu to Hyderabad to open
negotiations with the Nizam.
Jogipantulu was a well known dubashee of the Northern Circars.
He had great infltlence at Hyderabad and was held in high esteem by
Rukn-ud-daula, the Diwan of the Nizam. Jogipantulu reached
Hyderabad and opened up negotiations with the Nizam. But the
Nizam did not give serious thought to the proposals as he was pre-
occupied with the disturbances and insurrection in some parts of his
dominions. Jogipaatulu persevered in his attempts. When the
Nizam and the Diwan went to Rajahmundry, be followed them,
At that time there was a mutiny in Nizarn's troops at GolIapudi
demanding tb payment of the arrears of their salary. ~ o ~ i p a n t u l o
utilised that opportunity to negotiate the lease of the five Northern
Circars to the company for a sum of rupees 15 lakhs. He also
persuaded the Nizam to lease Guntur Circar also even though i t was
under the control of Basalat Jang, the brother of the Njzarn.
At last a treaty was conduded in 1766 by which the English East
India Company got the Circars. =treaty provided that Guntur
Circar would continue t o be under the control DC Basalat Jang, the
brother of the Nizam. After his death it was to revert to the British.
Though Basalat Jang died in 1782 it took six years more for the
British to secure the possession of the Guntur Circar. After pro- ,
tracted negotiations the Nizam surrendered it to Cornwallis on
18 September 1788. Thus the five Northern Circars came under the
British control.
In 1767 Nizanx Ali joined hands with Hyder Ali of Mysore and
attacked Carnatic. But th-y were defeated at the battle of Trichno-
PO~Y. Nizam Ali was forced to sign a treaty at Madras conf rming
the treaty of 1766 by which he ceded the Northern to the
English.
1773 Nizam Ali intervened in the &airs of the Marathas
following the murder of the Peshwa Narayana Rae. He
Raghunatha Rao who assumed the office of the Pmhwa, After the
'lose Of the First Maratha Waf 1774-82 he accepted the treaty of
Salbhai in 1782 and maintained cordial retations with the Marathas.
In 17g4 pe met the great Maratha statesman Nana Phadnis and
entered Into an alliance with the Maratha to check the danger ream
Tipu Sultan.
Ttlple Alliance I790
In 1789 Lord Cornwallir concluded a treaty with Nizam Aii by
which the East India Company a g r e d to provide troops to the
 Nizam whenever he required them. He was, however, precluded
from using them against the allies ofthe Company like the Maraths,
the Nawab of Carnatic and the Rajas of Tanjore and Travancore.
Next year i.e. 1790. the Marathas, the Nizam and the East India
Company formed a TripIe Alllance against the ruIer of Mysore, Tipu
Sultan. The Third Mysore War which broke out i n 1790 ended in
1792 with the defeat of Tipu Sultan who lost about half of his domi-
nions. Nizam Ali got as his share, Gooty, Cuddapah and other
tracts besides an amount of about Rs. one crare.
Though the Nizam and the Marathas fought as alJies in the
Third Mysore War, their relations were not cordial. The Nizam
was opposed to the claim of the Marathas to levy Chauth and
Sardeshmukhi. As the issue could not be settled through negotia-
tions, both parties took recourse to war. In 1795 the Nizam was
defeated at the battIe of Kllarda and ageed to pay Chauth amount-
ing to Rs. 3 crores and a war indemnity of Rs. 2 crores.
Soon after his defeat a t Kharda, Nizam Ali faced another trouble
at home when his son Ali Jah rose in revolt against him. Ali Jab
was supported by Sadasiva Reddy, the Zamindar of Medak. The
revolt was crushed and Ali Jah was captured at Aurangabad. He
committed suicide. The revolt was crushed easily as the troops of
Nizam Ali were trained by a French man Monsieur Raymond.
Sobsidiary Alliance 1800
The Bast India Company became uneasy at the growth of the$
French influence at Hyderabad, at a time when it was making prepa-
rations for the finaf assault against Tipu Sultan of Mysore. So the
British Resident a t Hyderabad Capt. Achilles Kirk Patrick tried to
win the support of Nizam Ali by promising him military aid. Nizam
Ali entered into a Subsidiary A1 iance with the East India Company.
Under the terms of the treaty Nizam Ali agreed to disband the
French troops in his service. In return the Enst India Company
agreed to keep a permanent force st Hyderabad which was to be
paid by the Nizam. This treaty clearly demonstrates that the East
India Company had attained a dominant position a t Hyderabad. 1x1
the Fourth Mysore War which resulted in the death of Tipu Sultan
and the d~structionof his kingdom the Nizam supported the East
India Company.
After the end of the Fourth Mysore War the Nizam entered into a
new treaty with the East India Company in October 1800. This treaty
of General Oflensive and Defensive Alliance is popularly k n o m
as the treaty of Subsidiary Alliance. Under the terms of this treaty
the Company's farces at Hyderabad was to be further augmeattd.
For the maintenance of these forces. the Nlzam ceded to the Eaat
India Company all the territories acquired by him, during tbe
Mysore War, South of the river Tungabhadra. These areas came to
be known as the ceded Districts, now popularly called ~ayalaseema
(the land of Sriktishnadeva Raya, the Ereat Vijayanagar Emperor)-
36 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA I
I
Nimm A\i KM* died in 1803 and was succeeded by hisson
Sikandar Jah.
The Iong reign of Niam Ali Khan from 1762-1803 is very impor-
tant in the history of Andhra. It was during this period the East
India Company gained complele ascendancy over the Nizam add
forced on him as many as six treaties. By the treaties of 1766, 1788
) , Company acquired the Northern Circars, Guntur and
L ~ M the
the Ceded d i s t k b respectively. Again, Nizam Ali Khan was the
first ruler of the family to use the heredity title of the Nizarn.
~ i k a o d a r ' ~ aI80S1829
h
The 1800 is a turning paint in the relation of Nizam of
'Hyderabad with the East India Company. By the treaty of the
Subsidiary Alliance the Nizam became subordinate to the East India
Company. He lost his sovereignty as he could no longer conclude
treaties with other powers. Not only that even in the internal
administration his powers were curtailed to a large extent. Even for
appointing his Diwan or prime-minister, the Nizam had to obtain
the prior approval of the Company.
Sikandar Jah, the eldest surviving son of Nizam Ali Khan asccnd-
ed the throneof Hyderabad after the death of his father in 1803.
Shortly after his accession the Second Martitha War broke out be-
tween the East India Company and the Mnrothas under Scindia
and Bhonsle. In this war the Nizam did not support the British
wholeheartedly. His troops were commanded by Rajah Mahipat
Ram, the Governor of Berar. Mahipat Ran1 was a close friend
and adviser of the Nizam and at heart disliked the British In spite
of the lukewarm support of the Nizam the Company defeated the
Matathas at the Battle of Assaye on 23 September 1803. The
Governor-General, Wellesley took a serious view of the Nizam's
attitude towards the Company and forced on the Nizam a supple-
mentary treaty on IS December 1803. By this treaty the Nizam tlot
only confirmed all the existing treaties between the East India Com-
pany and Hyderabad but also agreed to place at the disposal of the
Company all the forces of Hyderabad in the time or war. After the
signing of this treaty the Diwan of the Nizam Ariato Jab (Azim-ul-
Umara) died on I?- April 1804. Thereupon the British Resident
at Hyderabad Major J.A. Kirk Patrick recommended to tho Njzam
to appoint Mir Alam* who was faithful to the Company rhraughout
the M ~ o r wars, e as the Diwan. The Nizam could not refuse the
recommendation of the Resident even though he disliked Mir Alam
as the latter enjoyed the confidence of the Company. In order $0
countcraa the iduence of Mir Alam the Ni- tried vainly to
appoint his friend Mahipnt Ram as the Peshkar or Deputy Diwan.
But Mir Alam aspired to appoint his s0n-jn-\pw Munir-ul-Mulk as
the Peshkar- So he began to press the new Resident Capt. Syden-
hm (18O5-I0)to ask Mabipat Ram who came t o Hyderabad in
October lB05 to return to his Subah of B ~ a r , Cspt. S y d a h a m
OMir *Iarn birth a Persian noble. He entered the of the
Hydmabad Got- and took Part in many important negoliations op
 T H E NIZAM AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY 3.7
nsked Mahipat Ram to return to Berar but appointed Raja Cl~andu
L a l as the Peshkar.
Mir Alom died on 28 February 1808. After his death, the
Nizam and the Resident fell out on the question of appointing a
new Diwan. Finally Munir-ul-Mulk, the son-in-law of M u Alam
was appointed as the Diwan, but the real power was in tbe hands of
the Peshkar, Raja Chandu Lal, the lackey of the East India Com-
pany a

Chandu Lal
Chandu Lal descended from a Khatri famiiy of Lahore was born
in Hyderabad on 1776. He claimed descent from Raja Todar Mal,
the famous revenue minister of Akbat.
Chandu La1 first came into prominence when he was appointed
as Peshkar in 1806. The post of Peshkar was second only to that of
Diwan or Prime Mjnistcr. The Peshkar rnainbined the accounts of
the State and controlled the treasury. As already noted, the Nizam,
Sikandar Jah, tried io get his friend Mahipat Ram appointed to the
post while Mir Alam intrigucd in favour of his son-in-law Munir-ul-
Mulk. Ultimately Chandu Lal got the coveted position. He suc-
ceeded in establishing his bona fides as the lackey of the East India
Company. So in 1808 when the question of appointing a successor
to a new Diwan arose consequent to the death of Mir Alam, the
Resident OF Hyderabad Capt. Sydenham in his letter to the Governor-
General, Minto, dated 17 February 1809 stated:
Who evcr might be thc Minister it would be for our interest
that Chandu Lal should profess the largest share of active in-
fluence in the administration and as Iong as he held a coddential
situation about the Nizam we might almost be assured of the
security of our interest at this court.. ,.*
, Though Mun~r-ul-Mulk was appointed as the Diwan, Chnndu
Lal was continuing as Peshkar. His position was further improved
as he was made the medium of contact between the East India Com-
pany and the Nizam.
la 1810. the Resident Capt. Sydenham retired. Immediately the
Nizam tried to brow beat Chandu La1 by asking him to render all
i l Nrznm.
~ Ilc went to Calcutta to discuss with the Enst e d i a Company
about the payment or Psshcush to the Niznm in connection w l h the cession
of Northern Circars. He took part in negotialing the terms of the Treaty of
Srirangapat?am(l792) on behalf of the Niulm. He aho took part io
th negotlntlons lhat culminnted in the s~gningof Treaty afSubsidinry
Alliance by the Nizam As he won the favour of the Company, the Nizam
su~pected him to be thc stooec of t b Brijish and disrn~sscdhfm from
serorce. A f ~ t rthe death of dewan Aristo Jah lq 1804, the Resident .Mrk
Patrick foroed the N~zamSikandar Jah to appoint Mlr Alam as b e herwan.
continued in that position till his death In 1808. 'Mu Alam Tank' an
important land mark In thecity of Hyderabad was constru~tedby him.
'Quoted in Niram British Re/orfon~,172-1857, by Sarojhi ~ ~ g a np- i , 208
(Hyderabad, 1663).
 HISTORY OF MODERN A N D H R A

Bccouots of the State from the time he assunled office 2s Pesbkar in

I
1806, The East India Company Came to the VX.Cue of its protegem
H~~~ Russel, the new Resident met the Nizam in early 181 1 and
against the trcatrnent of Chandu La\. The Nizarn~
Sikandar Jab, realising his subordinate podtion to the Company with-
drew from the active administration of the State. From that time
onwards ( 1 8 11) Resident became the de fact0 ruler a n d Ch*ndu
La\ became a mere tool in the hands of the Resident.
Nizam's Army
he troops of the Nizam were a mixed force under three %Parate
and independent commanders namely the Nizarn, the Diwan and the
premier noble known as the Shamshul Umara or Amir Kabir.
Aher entering into the Subsidiary Alliance with the East India
a m p a n y in 1800 the Nizam did not pay much attention t o his =my
known as parif-i-Khas force. The inefficiency and the indiscipline of
the army manifested itself during the second Maratha War of 1803.
The Diwan's troops consisted of diflerent elements. First, there
were the Arab settlers of the Deccan. Secondly, there were other
Muslim adventurers lsom the north, from Oudh, Sindh, Baluchistan,
etc. They were generally known as the Rohillas. In addition to
these there were troops known as the 'Line-Wallas' who were rem-
nant oE the force organised by the Europeans for the Nizam.
The Russel Brigade
When Henry Russel became the Resident in March L S 11, he
noticed that the law and order in the countryside was very deplor-
able. Taking advantage of the weiikness of the Nizarn's army, the
Pindaris, Bhils and the local zamindars carried on tbeir depredations
and terrorised the people. Since the subsidiary troops could not be
used to put down the internal disturbances of the State, Russel want-
ed to organise a new army to maintain order in the State. The
Government of India accepted the suggestion of Russel in 18 16.
The new force known as the Russel Brigade, was raised a t the cost of
the State's finances. Afterwards it came to be known as the Hydera-
bad Contingent. It participated in the Pindari War of 1817 the
Maratha War of 1818. It was also employed to put down the local
uprising of the zamindars during the year 18 18-26.
The expenditure On the Contingent increased rapidly as it was
over-stafEed and the British officers were o ~ e r - ~ ~ i d ,a resultit
became an intolerable burden on the State whose finances in a
very bad soon the State faced financial and
defaulted the payment of salaries of the officers end soldiers of
c o n t k m t - So Russel devised a new method for the upkeep
of the conh%enl- He forced the Peshkar, Chan du to enter into
an agreement with a commercial firm known as P a h e r and cornpatly
fw the ~aymmtof the contingent troops.
Palmer and Company
B o u g h o u t the fist half of the 19th wntury the financPs of be
 THE NIZAM AND THE PAST INDIA COMPANY 39.

Hyderabad State were in a precarious condition. 7 he reasons for

this Were not far to seek. Firstly, there was no budget. Even the
peshkar was unarvarc OF State income and cxpailditurc. Secondly,
there was no central treasury for many years. Thirdly, a nunlber of
sinecure officers like the Daftardars arose and swallowed most of the
revenue.
As a result the government was put to chronic financial embarrass-
ment. Sometimes to meet the day-to-day expenditure it bad to
borrow money from the local bankers both indian and European,
at usurious and ruinous rate of interest. Sometimes the State jewels
were pledged in order to raise funds. One of the firms fro111which
the Stale borrowed money was Palmer and Company.
The founder of the Company was William Palmer. He was the
son of Gen. Palmer, Rcsident at the court of Peshwn at Poona, and
a Muslim lady, a Begum of Lucknow. He came to Hyderabad in
1799 and entered the Njzam's military service. He left military
service in 1812 and started the mercantile firm of Palmer and Com-
pany. His brother John Palmer was a well-known merchant of
Calcutta.
In March 1814, Palmer and Company sought the permission of
the Governor-General to conduct banking operations in the Slate of
Hyderabad. As the application was fully recommended by the
Resident Henry Russel, the Governor-General permitted the firm to
open a banking house at Hyderabad. Here it may be pointed out
that many Residency o f i i a l s including Henry Russel invested their
monies in the Grm and reaped a fortune.
With the commencement of the banking operations by the firm,
the "plundcr of the Nizam" began, As the Resident himself was an
interested party in the firm, Chandu Lal made special eRorts to pro-
mote its interest. Government boarrowd money from the firm at
25 per cent of interest.
In March 1816, Sir William Rumbold, the son of a Governor of
Madras, who had married a ward of the Governor-General, Lord
Hastings, joined the firm as he wanted to become rich quickly. The
inclusion of the "son-in-law" of the Governor-General added to the
prestige of the firm. The firm advanced Rs. 2 lakhs per month to
the Nizam. I n return the Governn~entassigned the revenues in cer-
tain districts of Berm yielding Rs. 30 lakhs annually. Thus the firm
made a huge profit of Rs. 6 lakhs. Besides the members of the Palmer
family pensions amounting to Rs. 80,000 a month from the
State treasury.
I n 1820, Sir Charles Metcalfe came to Hyderabnd as the Reiident.
It did not take him much time to realise how Palmer and Company
was exploiting the State. He wanted to remedy the situation by
raising a loan for the Nizam at Calcutta at 6% of interat in order
to enable the Nizam to pay off his debts to Palmer a d Company.
Lord Hsstjngs, the Governor-General turned down the proposal as
it meant the ruin of the firm. But Metcalfe persevered in his
attempts and in 1822 discovered that Russel, the foruler Resident
and his assistant Sotheby were the secret partners in the firm and
derived huge profits. In July 1823, Hastings left India handing over
charge to John Adam, the senior member of his Council.
John Adam advanced money to the Nizam from the Residents'
Treasury, to pay off his debt of 80 Iakhs to Palmer and Company.
Within a year Palmer and Company became bankrupt, William
Palmer died in 1867 a t Hyderabad at the age of 87.
~ e f & m sof Metcalfe -
When MetQ[fe took over the charge as the Resident in 1820 the
economic of Hyderabad State was deplorable. There was
no proper administration in the countryside. D u e to the oppression
of the revenue oficials villagers fled to the neighbouring territories of
the Company. This had further aggravated the economic situation
since the cultivable lands were left fal10w. Further from 1814
onwards when the Government borrowed money from the local
bankers like Paimer and Company the collection of revenue was
given to conwactors who made the highest bid. These contractors
in order to get quick protits began to harass the farmers and forced
them to pay high taxes, When the distress of the Farmers became
alarming, Russel tried to introduce land reforms and cut down tbe
go-rnent expenditure by abolishing many sinecure positions. But
as these measures were half-hearted they did not produce the desired
resuIt.
But Metcalfe, the successor of Russel, proc:eded with the reforms
more thoroughly. First, he demanded Chandu Lal to give a factual
statement of revenue and expenditure of the Statc, s o that the net
deficit of the State could be noted, and steps be taken to cut down
the expenditrue of the government. Metcalfe found that the deficir
of the government was ten lakhs of rupees a year.
The State was divided into districts which were placed under
British officers who were to supervise the natlve revenue
Secondly, in order to prevent the oppression of the local revenue
ofkials, the exact amount of revenue levied on the cultivators was
notified.
Chandu Lal did not like these reforms as he was receiving a ,-om-
mission OC 3 amus out of each rupee (of 16 annar) of the State
revenue. More revenue meant more Cornmission. So he tried to
sabo1age the reforms. So when Mctcalfe left Hyderabad in 1825,
Cbandu Lal persuad-d the new resident, Martin, to scrap the
reform8 as it amounted to excessive iotrrfmoce of tb company in
the administration of the State.
Samdar Joh died on 21 May 1829 a ~ dwal suwscded by his
eldest son Nasir-ud-Bowla.
Nosir-ad-Dowla 1829-'57
During the reign Of N~s~T-ud-Dowla impofiant events, which had
far-mh'mg effects on Hyder~bad State, like the wzbabi M~~~~~~~
a d the cession of Berar took place,
 NIZAhf A M 3 THE EAST MDlA COMPANY 41
Lord Bentinck (1828-35), the Governor-General who believed in
the policy of non-intervention in the internal affa'us of the native
States, allowed the Resident to witbdrnw the refoms of Metcalfe.
This was a very unwise step and it brought to an end the nine year
old settied and orderly government. Once again thtre was chaos in
the administration and the government failed to meet the expenses of
the contingent forces.
After the withdrawal of the British Superintendents from the
districts, the government appointed in their place Indian supervisors
known as Amins or Mansabdars. These officials were unable to run
the administration elfectively. Taking advantage of thic, the local
zamindnrs like Venkata Narasimha Rao of Amalapalem, Kapa
Narasimha Rao of Chintagatti and Jagannatha Rtro of Munagala
revolted against thc government. Their revolts were put down by
the contingent forces. By 1843 the economic situation was so aggra-
vated that Chandu La1 was forced to apply to the Resident for a
loan of olie crore of rupees. . As he failed to obtain the loan, he
resigned his position in 1843 and died i 1845. For ten years after
the resignation of Chandu Lal there werea number of Diwans
like Raja Ram Baksh, the nephew of Chandu La1 from 1843-46,
Nawab Siraj-ul-Mulk (a son of Munir-ul-Mulk) 1846-48, Amjad-ul-
Mulk and Shams-ul-Umra(1849).
Wahabi Movement
In the second decade of the 19th century n movement of the
Muslims against the Europeans and nlso the Sikhs was started by
one Syed Ahmad Brailvi. The movement was largely confined to
north India only. After the death of Syed Abmnd in 1831 the
movenlent spread to south rndia also and Mubariz-ud-Dowla. the
third son of th3 Nizam Sikandar Jah took active part in it. In 1815
Mubarjz-ud Dowla was arrested for his anti-British activities and
confined in thc Golconda fort. He was released in 1820, After his
release he continued his antipathy towards the British.
When the British were engaged in the first Afghan war ([839-42)
the Wahabis became very active and recogniscd Mubariz-ud-DowIa
as their leader The Nawal) of Kurnool, Gbulam Khan also took
active part in lbe Movement. Geo. Fraser who became the Resi-
dent at Hyderabad in 1838 was nlerted by Stonehouse, the Magis-
trate of Nellore about the ~onspiracy, Fraser atted at once and got
Mubariz-ud-D~~la arrested and co&ned in the Golconda fort wbete
he died on 25 June 1854. The Nawab of Kurnool was also arrested
and sent to Tiruchirapalli. His jagir was annexed and administered
as 'no~l-regulationprovince'.* Thus the Wahabi Movamcnt which
\vas 8 prelude to the Sepoy Mutiny was put down withut much
effort,
Q Iwas
~ in-charge of a Commirsioner and a militav ~ 3 ~ i a t a n tThe
.
areawas absorbed in Kurnool district in 1858.
42 HISTORY OF MODERN AND-

The Cession of Berar

~ ~ of Metcalfe's reforms the economic situa-
~ f the t withdrawal
tion of the State deteriorated alarmingly. So Col- Stewart, who was
the Resident at Hyderabad from 1830-38, wanted to induct British
into the administration of the State. But the Governor-
Generaldid not accept his suggestion. The main reason for the
economic distress of the State was the maintenance of the Hyde1abad
contingent. The expenditure an the Hyderabad contingent served
no useful purpose to the State. The East M i a C O ~ P ~refused W
to bear its expenditure even though it was organised for its own
political advantage.
~ h o u chandu
~h L Hremoved
~ the British supervisors in the Reve-
nue administration he did not press for the disbandment of the
Hyderabad contingent as it would incur the displeasure of the
Resident. Chandu La\ knew very well that he could not continue
in office without the favour and patronage of the Resident.
In 1848 Lord Dalhousie became the Governor-General and
inaugurated his policy of annexation (of the territories of the Indian
princes to the Empire of the East India Company). Soon after
assuming the office, the attention of the Governor-General was
diverted to the affairs in the north. By the middle of 1850 the
Hyderabad State owed Rs. 64 lakhs to the East India Company
towards maintenance of the contingency forces. Dalhousie informed
the Nizam that the entire debt must be cleared by 31 December 1850-
The Governor-General knew very well that the Nizam was not in
a position to pay his debts. So he was preparing the ground to annex
certain portions of the Nizam's territory at a favourable opportunity.
He asked the Resident (Fraser) to suggest districts yielding 35 lakhs
of rupees annually which could be taken over by the East India Com-
pany. Fraser did not like the expansionist policy of Daihousie and
resigned his position in 1853. He was succeeded by Col. Law.
By A~gugt 185 1, the Nizam dischatged more than half of his
debt to the East India Company. He promised to pay the remainder
by the end of the year, but could not keep up his promise. so on 21
May 1853, the Nizam was forced to sign the Treaty of Berar
the province of Berar and the districte of Dharashiv (Osmanabad)
and Raichur to the %st India Company. After the conclusjon of
the treaty, the forces of the Nizam were 0rgaoised as "Hyderabad
-tingent" and made an auxiliary of the British Indian A ~ ~ ~
The transactians of the Treaty of Berar were based on force and
fraud- The m m ' s signature was obtained by the threats of des-
tructim of his State. Shortly after the signing ofthe treaty ihe. on
26 May 1853, the Diwan Siraj-ul-Mulk died of shockand humili-
ation- He was succ=ded by his 24-year-old nephew, ~~~~b ~ l~ i h ~
popularly known by his title Salarjung, on 3 1 M~~ 1853.
 Andhra under the Company
Revolts Against tbe British
It took nearly fifty to sixty years for the East India Company to
consolidate its position in the territories acquired in Andhra. In the
Coastal districts it had t o face the formidable opposition from the
local zamindars. In the Rayalaseema area the poligars offered s t X
resistance to the British Rule.
In the Ganjam district, the East India Company faced formidable
resistance from the zamiadars of Ghumsur aad Parlakimedi. These
areas arc now in Orissa State. In Vizag district the most formidable
opposition to Company's rule came from the Rajah of Vijayana-
garam, the biggest zamindur of the area. We have already noticed
how Ananda Gajapatbi Raju allied himself with Col. Forde and
expelled the French from Vizag, Rajahmundry and Machilipatnam.
Ananda Gajapathi Raju was succeeded by Vijayatma Raju who
ruled from 1760-1794. His half-brother, Sitarama Raju acted as
his Diwan. Sitarama Raju was highly unscrupulous and his adminis-
tration was extremely unpopular. In 1784 he was removed from
Diwanship, but he went to Madras and through bribery obtained the
favour of the Governor and members of the Council and got himself
re-appointed much against the will of the Rajah. The Directors of
the Company, however, intervened in favour of rhe Rajah and the
Diwan was dismissed.
After the dismissal of the Diwan, unfortunately the Rajah could
not cope up with the work of administration. He failed to pay the
'perhcush' amount to the government. When the arreara became
huge, the Madras Government passed orders sequestrating his whole
estate and granted him a pension. On 2 August 1793 the fort of
Vijeyanagaram was oca~piedand the zamindari was divided into
three collectorates and officers were appolnted to administer them.
The Rajah was asked to leave Vijayaoagaram and retire to Masuli-
patam on a monthly pension of Rs.1,200. The Rajah decided to
make a bold stand against the Madras Government and marcbed to
Pdmanabham, a sacred place @Ifway between Vijayanagaram end
Bheemunipatnam. Thereupon the Company sent troops against him
and at the battle that took place on 10 July 1974, the Rajah was
deceated and killed.
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHR A
44
~ f the death
t ~ of ~Vijayarama Raju, his eight-yeat-old son Nara-
yana ~ ~ took trefllge
, in~a hi:ly place called Makkuva in the Vizag
district. Severataoblej and llillmen rallied round him. The Corn-
hejitated to organis= expedition into the hills. So it stwted
negotiations and the estate was handed over to Narayala Babu
on hisagreeingto pay the arrears amounting to Rs. 5 lakhs. In 1802
the permanent was introduced and the 'peshcllsh' from
the Vijayanagaram zamindars was fixed a t Rs. 6 l;ikh~Per y e a .
In to the revolts of the zamindars, there were a few
'Fitwis6,or outbreaks of thc tribal people. The ttibals of Gulugonda
in Vizag district revolted against the Company. For three Years
from 1845-1848 they harassed the administration. Ultimately they
laid down their arms in 1848 on a promise to general amnesty and
grant of allowance to thcir leader Chinna Bhupathi. During 1857-58
another 'Fituri' broke out, but it was easily put down.
tn the other coastal districts also there were same revolts by the
local zarnindars but they were easily put dawn.
But in the Rayalaseerna area the Company faced serious troubIe
from the lo=\ poligars. In 1800 there wece eighty poligars in Raya-
laseema and they were not prepared to accept the authority of the
British. Thomas Munro, the principal collector of the region issued
proclamations to these poligars to Iay down their arms and also pay
'peshcnsh' to the Company. Many 'poligars' resisted the demand
and it took eighteen months for Munro to bring them under the
control of the Company. But order was not established effectively.
Even as late as 1846 Poligar Narasimha Reddy of Kurnool district
revolted against the Company. He attacked the treasury at Koilkunt-
la and marched towards Cumham. He was defeated by Capt. Nolt
at Moondlapadu, but he managed to escape into the Njzam's domi-
nions. But six weeks later he reentered the Kurnoot district. This
time he was captured and hanged publicly at Koilkuntla, Munro
confiscnted the estate of the poligars and introduced P m a n e o t
Settlement of Land Revenue in the area. The revolts of the Rajahs,
tamindars and poligars clearly showed that there was still resistaoce
to the British rule in the Andhra area.
Company's Admioistration and its Effects
The Company consolidated its position in Andhra during the
half or the nineteenth century. It reorganised the adDlinistration
by dividing the entire region into a number of districts and appointed
coliectors over them. As the term implied, the main funaion of the
collector who was the head of the district administration was the
*kction of revenue The coastal area was divided into five col~ec-
corates of Oanjam, Visakhapatnam, Godavari, Krishna and Nellore.
The Ra~alawemaarea ceded by the N i m to the m s t India corn.
WnY in 1800 Was Wnstituted into a single coUectorate with
p y as the headquarters. Thomas Munra w;rs appointed as the
Pmeipal collector on 24 October 1800, Four S~b-Col]ectors
fuOned uderhim at Hupanahdli, Adoni, Cuddapah
ANDBRA UNDER 'MB COMPANY 45.

Cumb,am. In '1808, thearea was divided into two. collectoratcs of

Bellary a n d Cuddapah. Kuroooli Anantapur and Chittoor were
constituted as separate districts. in 1858, 1382 and 19 11 respec-
tively.
The kingpin of the administration was the collector, but the
majority of the collectors and orher officials of the district rvere
ignorant of the Telugu languagc and the actual condition of the
masses. They depended mostly on their native subordinates, who
were by and large corrupt and ineEcient. The only exception among
the English collectors was Munro. He spoke Telugu fluently and
carried on the administration without the help of 'dubashees'.
Revenue
The Directors of the East India Company at London wanted to
rcalise maximum revenue frnm the newly conquered areas. This
resulted in high taxation. The Company introduced two main types
of revenue system. namely, the Zamindori and tbe Ryotwari, In
the coastal arca there were many zamindars, or landlords. From
the eamindars the Company collected revenue, called 'peshcush'.
The high rates of "pesl~cush" ruined many zamindars. In the
Rayalascema area the Ryotwari system of land tenure was introduc-
ed. Under this system, the revenue was collected directly from the
ryot who owned the land. This system also did not work well.
Even Munro, who was noted for his compassion and liberal oullook
over assessed tlic ryots and recommended later a reduction. Another
defect in the system was that the tands werenot properly surveyed
and boundaries marked. There were only few records of any sort.
It was only after the advent of the Crown's admit~istrationthat the
survey and settlement work was completed. The revenlle was
collected strictly. There was no scope for evasion. Further, the
collcctjon of revenue in cash added to the dificultics of the
furmers as the prices of agricultural products began to fall fiom
1834 onwards.
Irrigation
The Coiilpany did not pay any attention to irrigation. Tanks
and canals were not maintained in good condition. The only im-
portant irrigational works undert~ken by the Company were the
construction of the anicuts over the rivers of Godavari and Knshna
in 1847 and 18.53 respectively. Thtsc works no doubt brought pros-
perrty to the delta regions of these two rivers. But in the rest of
Andhra no irrigationnl work of consequence was undertaken. It is
no wonder, therefore, that during the Company's rule ~ n d h r asuffer-
ed from severe famines. From 1805 to 1807 the entire Andhra
region rvns in the grip of a severe famine which resulted in depopu-
lation of some villages. I n 18I I , Nellore district suffered from a
s e w e famine, The famine of 1823 dected a large ,area. 1833
Guntur suffered from one of the most severe fam~nes. In 1839
crops failed jn entire Andhra area. The Government did V u Y little
to alleviate the suflcrings ol the people. It also did not take any
steps to prevent the Frequent recurrence of famines. It did not for-
mulate even a famine code.
Handicrafts
Side by side with the deterioration of agriculture there was decline
of handicrafts which provided livelihood to a large number of non-
agricultural classes. The textile industry provided occupation to a
large number of people after agriculture. The industry was carried
on jnside the house. Even women observing 'Gosh&' could engage
in it. jn Rayalaseema the weaver indulged in polygamy merely to
increase the income by the labour of his wives. Even old pea ~ l e
aqd children used to take part in the industry as the work was not
tiresome. Even though all the members of the family earned money
the condition of the weaver was not prosperous as he led a riotous
life. Great part of his income was wasted in drinking, gambling
and cock-fighting.
The textile industry suKied very much. Previously, the silks of
Berbampur, the muslins of Srikakulam, the chintzes of Machilipat-
nam and the 'Romab' of Nellore commanded a ready market in
Europe. They were tbe chief articles which the East India Company
bought for export in the 17th and the second half of the 18th cen-
turies.
One of the causes for the decline of the Indian textile was that its
products could not complete with the machine-made fabrics of Eng-
land which were priced at a low rate. The exports from Vishakha-
patnam which averaged Rs. 7 lakhs a year fell to Rs. one Iakh a
year by the third decade of the nineteenth century, Exports from
Machilipataam averaged rupees 30 lakhs a year in the second decade
of the nineteenth century. lt fell to a mete Rs, 27 50 in 1843-44.
Tbe case of Nellore is the same- Its exports valued at Rs. 1 80,000
in 1817-18 fell to a mere Rs. 360 i n 1842-43.
The Indian textiles lost the foreign market as well as the local
market. The local market was lost due to the policy adopted by the
a m p a n y which gave evefy encouragement to the British textiles
and at the same time ruined the local industry by imposing excessive
transit dutica and 'M0turpha'-a vexatious impost on the looms,
The native industry lost its good patrons with the decline of the
zmindars- As a result of the decay a large number of weavers
went 85 C D O ~ ~ta~ Sri
S Lanka, Burma and Mauritius,
Silk Fabrics
Bcrhampnr, Peddapnrarn and Dharrnavaram were some of the
important silk weaving centres of Andhra. The silks were used as
articles of ~UXWYand were in great demand among the rich people.
The Portuyrse disuibutcd Mian silk goods in Europe. The £!an
!ndia Compaoy also exported certain varieties of silk cloth. The
m d m t ~began to decline by the middle of the 19th century. It
Muld na face competition from the Cbinese and Japanese sinis
 Lhe European market At home it lost the market with the break-
U P of the aristocracy. One noteworthy feature of the silk industry
was that it was mostly an urban industry and supported by the rich
and upper middle classes. The silk weavers ofAndhra came from
Dcvanga, Padmasali, Satani, Mala (Harijan) and Muslim communi-
ties.
Carpet Making
The carpets of Eluru and the coloured rugs and blankets of
Kurnool wcrc well-known in the international market. In Eluru,
the craft was developed by the immigrants of Persia when Andhra
came under the Muslim rule. At the London exhibition of 1851 the
carpets of Eluru had become the cynosure of all eyes. No foreign
o r imported wool was used in their manufacture. The wool of indi-
genous sheep of Krishna and Godavari districts was used in their
production. The two popular designs were 'Farishkhani' and
'Ashunkhani'. The other important varieties were 'Bulbandi',
'Nabashkhany' and 'Gopalraokhany'.
In Rayalasecma apart from Kurnooi, the industry was dcveloped
at Adoni and Bellary. The products of these places catered to the
needs of markets inside [he country. They did not compare hvour-
ably with the products of Eluru or Machilipatnam. By the middle
of the nineteenth century the industry had fallen on evil days. This
was not due to the decline of the skill of the weaver but for want of
government and popular support.
A similar fate overtook other tlrtistic industries as well as the
ship-buildiag industry which was carried nn in all the coastal towns
from Ganjam to Nelfore.
Apart from the decline of the industries and handicrafts which
had provided livelihood to a large number of people the rule o f fhe
Company had caused much hardship to the people since it was In-
efficient and corrupt. The corruption and inefficiency was more
pronounced in the department of tho judiciary. Many of the judges
did not have the proper legal background. All the persons who were
found to he incompetent for the revenue department were transferred
to the Iaw department and appoiated as judges. Many regarded the
judicial service of the Company as a 'refuge of !be destitute."l
Educntion
In the sphere of education, Andhra was very much neglected. It
was only in 1813 that the Company provided a paltry sutn of rupees
one lakh for education, but the government did not take any steps to
provide higher education. When Munro became the Governor of
Madras, he proposed the establishment of 40 collectorate schools
and 300 tahsildari schools in the whole of the Presidency. The
1, pelition of Madras Natlva Association dated 26.2.1852 to tho aovem-
merit of Madras. -Quoted as Document No. 14 In 2% R d o m
~ i ~ r c g g Altdhra
l~ , by M, Venkataran~aiah~
Pradp~h( ~ d r a )Ed. V01bl.
Hyderabad, 1965, pp. 131-35.
 HlSTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA
48

court of pr6vided funds for this, but in 1839 it was declaf-

ed failure. A Central Collegiate Institution was established I*
Madras in 1f~41,The expenditure of the Institution was met by
donations and the fees collected from the students. It was
the o d y educational institution started by the Madras government.
~thad on the avergc 160 students, The rest of the Presidency was
not cared for. he missionaries starred a number of schools with the
main object of converting the students to Christianity. The govern-
ment helped the proselytising activities of the missionaries by Sanc-
tioning to these scbools. Even the law of inheritance
was interfered with. The converts to Christianity were favoured.
The judges exercised their power and iluthority in a high-handed
manner to the detriment of the Hindus.l
The administration of the Company had become so irksome that
on 26 February 1852, the people of Madras formed themselves into
an association called the Madras Native Association and submitted
a petition ta the Government for the redressal of their grievances.
In order to rectify the defects of the administration they suggested
that the Governor's Council should be composed of officials in equal
number-six or seven each. They also suggested the establishment
of a legislative counci! as distinct from the executive council. Other
suggestions made in the petition were the reduction of the salaries of
the Govcrnor and other higher oficials of the government and the
appointment of natives to the services. It also demanded the aboli-
tion of ihe1.C.S.
The only benefit Andhra derived from the Company's rule was
that it was free from disturbance caused by wars.
In a word the Company's rule resulted in the impoverishment of
the peopte, disruption of the corporate life and deterioration of
general conditions.
Sir Thomas Munro 1761-1827
Sir Thomas Munro is one of the three East India Company
officials w h l ~are held in great veneration t h r o u g h o ~Andhra
t ~h~
0 t h two are Sic Arthur Cotton, the great engineer was
responsible for the construction of anicuts over the ~ ~and d
Krishna rivers and Chartes Philip Brown who had done
service t a Telugn language and literature.
Thomas Munro was born in Glasgow on 27 May 1761. His
fatber, Alexander Munro was a merchant. Thomas Munro was
educated in Glasgow University. He joined the service of the East
h d l a Company as a military cadet and arrived at Madras on 15
January 1780. He died as Governor of Madras at Pattikonda in
Kurnool district on 6 July 1827.
Thomas Munro's career in India can be divided into four
Wi~da. The first period was from 1780 t o 1792. During these
1. aid.
 ANDHRA AND THE COMPANY - 49

twelve years he spent hi5 life in the army and took part in the wars
of the East India Company with Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan the
rulers of Mysore. The second period w x s from 1792-1807. During
this period Munro was employed in the civil administration. From
1792 to 1799 he worked jn the Bara Mahal (Salem) which was
ceded by Tipu Sultan to East India Company. From 1799 to 1800
he worked in the Kanara district. From 1800 to 1807 he worked as
the Principnl Collector of the ceded districts which were acquired by
the East India Company from the Nizam of Hyderabad. In 1807
Munro left for England. He came ro India again in I814and
slayed For four years: These four years 1814-181 8 constitute the
third period of his career. During these four years ha acted as the
president OF the Judicial Commission. The fourth and last period
of his career was from 8 June 1820 to 6 July 1827 when he worked
as the Governor of Madras.
Munro as the Collector of Bara Mabal
By the Treaty of Srirangapatnam which ended the Third Mysore
War in 1792, Tipu Sultan ceded half of his dominions to the East
India Company and its allies -rha Nizam of Hyderabad and the
Marathas. The Company got as its share the Malabar district on
the West Coast and the Bara Mahals (Twelve palaces) i.e, the
modern district of Salem, Dharmapuri and a part of the Madurai
districts of Tamil Nadu.
For the civil administration of the Bara Mahals, Lord Com-
wallis, the Governor-Genera1 of India selected Captain Read as the
Superintendent of Revenue. Munro and two other military
officers werc appointed as his assistants. Munro spent the next
seven years o f his service (1 792-99)in Bara MahaIs.
Ryotwari Syslcm of Revenue Collection
The administration of the Bara Mahais under both Haider Ali
and Tipu Sultan had been oppressive. The first thing that Read
and Munro had to do was to settle the amount and the mode of
the collection of the revenue. Here Munro introduced a system
of revenue coflection which had benefited both the farmers and
the Cornpanby. This system afterwards became very popular as
the Ryotwarl system of land revenue. Under this system the land
revenue was collected directly from the ryots by the Company
officinls. The ryot under this system was virtually the proprietor of
the land lie cultivated. He was at liberty to sublet, delt or mortgage
~s property. He could nat be ejected by the government so long
as he the fixed assessment.
~unro and the Ceded Districts
m 1800 the Nizam of Hyderabad entered into a subsidiw
alliance with the East India Company. By this treaty the Co@p8~y
agreed to protect the Nizarn by maintaining its army at Hyd~rabad.
T~ m e t the cast of these troops the N ~ u m ceded to the ComPaaY
the territories he had acquired from Tlpu Sultan of Mysore under
the treaties of 1792 and 1799. These territories were the districts of
 50 IIIS~ORZOF MODERN ANDHRA

Bel\w, Aaantapur, Cuddapah and Kumool. This area is now

known as Raplaseema. Munro was appointed as the Principal
Collector of these districts ia November 1800-
When Munro assumed charge of his new duties, the ceded districts
were in a complete anarchy. There were eighty poligars o r petty
chiefs in this area. They with their 30,000 armed foltowers looted the
. villagers and crcated terror among the people.
Munro first turned his attention to subdue the poligars. The
Government of Madras hesitat~dto take stern action against the
poligars as it overestimated their strength. But Munro was able to
convince the government of the need to take early and effective
action against the poligars. With the help of Gen. Campbell, Munro
was able t o subdue the poligars and disbanded their armed followers.
After restoring law and order, Munro commenced his work of
survey and revenue settlement. In I802 the survey of the ceded
districts commenced and was completed by 1807, The entire
cultivated area of the region was surveyed, a number was given to
each field, the name of the holder was registered and the assessment
fixed Munro was able to complete this work which was quite ncw
to him in a record time of five years. This work is "on the whole
wonderfully correct and thorough ...it is even to this day a saFe
guide in most village disputes."* After completing the survey, he
introduced the Ryotwari system of land revenue which he first tried
successfully in the Bara Mahals durine the years 1792-99. Before
introducing the Ryotwari system he introduced the village system.
Each village was assessed at a certain valuation and cultivators were
held responsible for that sum. But before the cultivation commenced
in 1801-2, Munro made necessary advances to the ryots to purchase
seeds, implements, bullocks and t o repair old wells or dig new ones.
This fact is enough to show Munro's concern for the welfare of the
ryot. I n 1802 ceded districts suffered from drought and famine and
in the next Year there were heavy rains which breached 1000 tanks
and 800 channels in the Cuddapah district alone. Mu,-,ro without
waiting for the orders of the Government ordered the repairs of the
damaged tank3 and channels. The repairs were so speedily effected
that in the fo1lowing Year there was a bumper crop and the govern-
ment was able t o collect 100 per cent revenue. I n octobcr 1807,
Munro resigned his position and left for home.
f r e t of the Judicial Comiwiao
Munro came to India for the second time in June 1814 as the
R e s i w of thc Judicial Commission. He was sent by the Court
s study the administration of Justice and police in the
of q i r e c t ~ to
Pres~deneesof Bengal and Madras and recommended measures for
their imprpvement. Munro submitted his report in April 1816.
Most of hts recommendations like the transfer of Supervision of
Police from the Judge to the Colleolor, the of village
osc~al6to deal with petty thefts were accepted.
*J.*.B. Oribble, ~uddopnhDIs1rIcc) M&, pp, 1 17-122,
 ANDHRA AND THB COMPANY 51

Governor of Madras 182027

Munro came to India for the third and last time in 1820 to take
up his new position as the Governor of Madras, While on tour of
the Kurnool district, he was attacked with cholera and died at
Pattikonda on 6 July 1827. The people of Rayalaseema still cherish
the memory of Munro though t54 years have passed away since his
death. Munro with his simple manners and concern for thc welfare
of the people won the hearts of one and all No wonder he was
regarded as Mandava Rishi and boys are named after him a9
"Munrolappa."
Andhta in 1857-58
The year 1857 was a critical year in the history of India. The
Great Revolt of that year had almost brought an end to the British
rulc. The revolt was very intensive in North India, especially in
parts of U.P., M.P. and Bihar. South India was relatively free, but
it si not correct to say that it was quite unaffected by the develop-
ments in the north. The happenings in the north had their impact,
even though feeble, in many places south of the Vindhyas like
Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Cuddapab, Machilipatnam, etc.
The State of Hyderabad which bad a good percentage of Muslims '
was naturally very much interested in the fortunes of Muslim rebels
of the north Though he ruler and the Prime Minister nf the
State remained loyal ta the British, some sections of the Muslim
population were very articulate in their support to the rebels in the
north. Anti-British feeling in Hyderabad State was not a new deve-
lopment. i t existed from 1800 when the Nizam was forced to enter in-
to a Subsidiary Alliance with the East India Company. It manifested
itself in 1839 whea the wahabis conspired to overthrow the British
rule. I11 that year many Wahabi conspirators came from the North
to the city of Hydcrnbad and bcgan to preach Jehad against the
British, They were encouraged and supported by Mubaraz-ud-
Doulah, the brother of the Nizam, Nasir-ud-Do?Iah. Before any
mischief cauld be done, the Company acted with vrgour. It arrested
Mubaraz and confined bin1 in the Golconda fort till his death in
1854. The Nawab of Kurnool, Ghulam Rasool Khan who was
suspected to be in league with the Wababis was arrested and sent
to Tiruchirapalli as prisoner. His jagir was annexed and adminis-
tered as a 'non-regulation province.' It was placed inchar~cof a
commissioner and a military assistant. The area was absorbed in
the Kurnool district in 1858.
The anti-British feeling increased again in May 1853, w k the
Nizam was forced to assign to the Enst India Company the districts
of Berar, Raichur and Osmanabad towards the expenditure the
Company incurred on the subsidiary coatingcht lt kept at ~ y d e r d a d .
The anti-British feeling was expressed openly after the outbreak of
a week of the out-
May 1857. He Was
new Njzm allowed
., .... i.
\
52 HISTORY OF M O D m A N D W

Salarjang 1 who became the Prjme Minister in May 1 853 to continue

in his post.
The early successes of the rebets in the North generated great
excitement among the Muslims of the Hydcrabad State. At mas-
ques inflammatory specches were made exhorting the people to start
~ e h a dor holy war against the British. Attempts were made t o
undermine [he loyalty of the army personnel of the Company posted
at Secunder&ad and Bolarum. A Fakir moved about the city insti-
gating the population to revolt against the Company and informed
them t h t the army units posted at Secunderabad and Bolarum
would join them. Maulvis like Alauddin delivered sermons a t
Mecca Masjid at Hyderabad city branding the British as the enemies
of lslam and exhorted the Muslims to drive them out.
Outbreak at Anrangabad, June 1857
While great tension prevailed at Hydcrabad city other develop-
ments took place at Auranabad. There great disaffection prevailed
among the Company's troops. The news of the British reverses in
the North excited them. Thcy feared that they would be asked to
praceed to Delhi and figllt against the rebels. They disliked that
contingency. The disaffection in the Aurangabad troops took a
serious turn on 23 June when 90 sepoys whose loyalty was suspected
were disarmed and arrested The arrest of their cornrades increased
the anti-Britich feelings of the sepoys, A daffedar, Mir Fida Ali
tried to shoot Captain Abbot. Fida Ali was hanged and a number
of sepoys suspected to be invoIved in the alTair were arrested.
Many men in the cavalry were disbanded. This led to a n outbreak
in the Aurangabad contingent, which was however put down easily.
This outbreak which took place within a few weeks of the develop-
ments in the North was the first serious incident in the Hyderabad
State in 1857.
Attack on the Residency, July 1857
Within few days of the Aurangabad incidents, other developments
took place in the Hyderabad city. On 17 July 1857, Trlra Baz
Khan, a Jamcdar of Rohilias led a crowd of about 5000 alld attack-
ed the British Residency a t Hyderabad. Nothing came out of this
attack as the Residency was ably defended by the disciplined Corn-
PanY soldiers under the command of the Resident Colonel Davidson,
The Nizam who remained loyal to the British ordered the arrest
of the conspirators including Tuta Bat Khan and Moulvi A]laud-
din. Tura Bar Khan was tried and sentenced to transportation
for life- He, however, escaped from prison. While he was beiog
re-arf@sted,he tried to escape and he was shot dead. His dead body
was publicly hanged in Hyderabad city. Moulvi Atlauddin was
arrested in the village of Mangalapalli near Hyderabad He was
given life Imprisonment. fie died in pison at Andaman%in 1884.
these incidents, Hyderebad city and State remained
peaceful. This was due to the steadfast loyalty of the Nitam, ~ f ~ l .
ud-ooulah and his Prime Minister SnlarJang1 to the British. n e
 AND- AND THE COMPANY 53.

Hindus, who constituted the overwhelming majority of the popula-

tion were indiEerent to the developments in the North and supported
the British.
In the Andhra area there were minor incidents in towns like
Cuddapah, Machilipatnaln and Visakhapatnarn where there were a
sizable number of Mudims. At Cuddapahl one Sheikh Peer Saheb
preached Jehad against the British on 28 August 1857. It was also
reported that the Muslims of that town offered prayers in the mos-
ques for the success of the Mughal E r n p e r ~ r . ~At Visakbafiatnam
a Tclugu placard was found exhorting LLle Muslims of the town to
raze the town to dust and re-name it Muhammadpatniim during the
Moharrum.3
Apart from these incidents in which Muslims were involved, there
were few uprisings among the Girijans of the Agency tracts of
Ganjam and Godavari districts, The Girijaos belonging to the
Savara tribes of the Parlakimcdi area of the Ganjarn district rose in
revolt against the Company. The revolt was ewily put down and
the rebel leader, Doudascna was caught and hanged. After his death
the area remained peaceful.
The uprising of the Girijans of the Godavari district was led by
one Korukoada Subba Reddi, the beadman of Kornthru. H e was
caught and put to death. During his trial, Subba Reddi confessed
that be revolted as he heaid a rumour that Nana Saheb was advanc-
ing with a big army to expd the British and that he would reward
all these who fought against the British. After the death of Subba
Reddi, there were no more disturbances in the arca.
Apart from these stray incidents and disturbances which were
very minor in nature, the whole of Andhra remained loyal to the
British. The educated community in different towns vied with one
another in expressing [heir loyalty to the British. I n all the impor-
tant towns like Visakhapatnam, Rajabmundry. Vijayawada, Guntur,
Nellore and Chittoor, public meetings were held and addresses of
loyalty wcre submitted to the Government.
T b sentiments expressed in the loyalty nddrwses were genuine.
The Company's rule even though it ruined the artisan class, gave the
country a stable government. The Andhra arsa was free from wars
and disturbances. People were grateful to the Company as it provi-
ded a stable government. They compared it with the anarchy of the
Muslim rule. They therefore did not like the end of the British
rule. The natural leaders of the people, the zamindars, were thorough-
ly satisfied with the British rule as the Permawat settlement bad
improved the economic condition and conkcred on them p~opricty
rights (on the lands they held). More than anything the loyalty of
the sepoys of the South saved India for the British.
1. ~ ~ ~ as t Dwumcnt
e d No. 28, in M. Venkataraogaieh Ed. IYM R e d o m
m ..fndhra pradesh (Andhra) Vd. 1 (1800-1905) Hydaabad. 1965.
slr:rggb
pp. 161-64.
2, ibid. Document NO.30, P P 164-65-
3. /bid Document NO. 31, PP-165.66.
 Andhra under the Crown
Queen's Proc~amation
a result of the outbreak of 1857, the administration of the
country was transrerred from the East India Company to the British
crown. On assuming power Queen Victoria issued on I November,
1858 a proclamation wherein she announced the policies that would
be fallowed by the new government. The proclamation contained
a number of promises. Firstly, it promised equality of treatment
between the Indians and Europeans. It stated:
We hold ourselves bound to the Natives of aur Indian territories
by the same obligatians of duty which bind us to all our other
subjects and those obligatians, by the Blessing of the Almighty
God we shall faithfully and conscientiously fulfil.
Secondly, it promised religious neutrality and stated that
We disclaim alike the Right and the desire to impose our Cap-
victions on any of our subjects. We declare it to be our Royal
will and pleasure that none in any wise favoured, none molested,
or disquieted by the reason of their Religious faith or observances
but that all shall alike enjoy the equal and impartial protectjon
of the law, and we do strictly charge and enjoin on all those
who may be in authority under us, that they abstain from all
interference with the Religious Belief, or Worship of any of our
Subjects. on the pain of our highest Displeasure.
Thirdly, it promised that the Indians would be admitted to all
affices of the Government when it stated \hat
It is our further will that, so far as may be, Our Subjects, of
whatever Race or Creed, be freely and impartially admitted to
the officts on Our service, the Duties of which they may be
qualified, bY their education, ability and integrity duly to dis-
charge.
Fourthly, the Proclamation promised that the government would
stimulate peaceful industry in India and promote w o r h of public
utility and improvement,
The proclamation ended thus
 ANDHRA UNDER TJ36 CROWN. 55

In their Prosperity will be our Strength, in their Contentment

our Security, and in their Gratitude our best reward. And may
the God of all power grant to us, and to those in authority
under us. Strength to carry out those our wishes for the good of
our people.1
The promises contained in the proclamation were more honoured
in breach than in observance. Neither the British officials nor the
ordinary Englishmen and women were prepared to pay more than
mere lip service to it. The British who came to India after the up-
rising of 1857 regarded the Indians as barbarians and expressed
their contempt towards them in various ways. They nvoided inter-
course with the local people and formed exclusive dubs Tor them-
selves.
Discrimination was extended to various other fields also. ~n
Arms Act was enacted prohibiting Indians from possessing arms.
No such restriction was imposed on Europeans and Anglo-Indians.
The feelings of superiority felt by the British community asserted
itself when they launched a vehement agitation against the llbert
Bill of 1883, when tlie Viceroy Lord Ripon wanted to give the
Indian Magistrates jurisdiction over Gurapean offenders. Thus
the promisc of equal trearment contained in the Queen's proclama-
tion remained a mere promise,
The second pledge in the Queen's Proclamation relates to the
entry into the services. Indians were guaranteed admission into all
ranks of civil sarvice. Again this promise was not implemented.
I.C.S. examinations were held in Londoo and the age of admission
into it was fixed at 19. Thus all sorts of obstacles were placed in
the way of an Indian's entering the I.C.S. Many public bodies of
India including the Cocanada Literary ~ssociali,onsubmitted memo-
rials to the Secretary of State for India requesting him to raise the
age limit. But nothing came out of these representations, Similar-
l y Indians were not appointed to higher administrative posts in
police, engineering, medicine etc. The Secretary of State for India
in one of his dispatches to the Viceroy in 1861 declared that "the
Natives of India of native parentage are unsuited for Military,
Medical appointrn~nts."~
Another promise contained in the Queen's Proclamation was that
the Government would observe strict religious oehlrality. But this
pramise was not kept. The Madras Native Association objected to
the distribution of Grants-in-aid to the missionary sch00l~a8 the
grant was used to the teaching of the Bible and the propagation of
Christianity. It also objected to the Government oficials hobnob-
bing with the rnissioaaries.
The Governor of Madras, Trevelyaq, in his remarks an tbe peti-
tion of tile Madras Native Associat~on defended the payment of
Grants to ,n&oolson the ~rouridthat a similar system exist-
ed in England and that it would not be possible for tbe Government
1, Mukherji P., I d i n n C o n s ~ i f ~ t l i o
DocUmefilS,
!~~~ No. 1, PP. 431-34.
2. T& ~ l cAndhra
~ ~ l n c~g ~in ~ d
Prn&ah. bNO. 1,~D O e W t 51, PP. 21@11.
to bear the entire expgnditute on education. He was not convinced
by the argument that the people in a poor country like India could
not &or dito start private institutions nlld that in consequence govern-
ment grants would go to mission S C ~ O O ~ which S had plenty of
resources at their disposal. In this connection it may be stated that
the missionaries started their activities in Andhra in the early 19th
century. AS early as 1805, the London Mission began its activities
at Visakhapatnam. It extended its activities to Cuddapah in 1822.
At Machilipatnam the Church Missionary Society started its work '
under the leadership of Rev. Nobel. He succeeded in converting
many brahmins and members of other higher castes to Christianity.
About the same time the American Mission at Cuntor intensified its
activities. The American Baptist Mission at Ongolc was established
in 1866. During the great famine of 1876, a large number of people
at the rate of a hundred a day were converted to Christianity.
The other promises in the proclamation like the development of
industries and construction of public utility services Nete n o t imple-
mented. The peopIe were very dissatisfied and thcy ventilated their
grievances by submitting many petitions t o f he Government.
The petitions of the Madras Native Association
As stated earlier. the citizens of Madras formed themselves into
an association called ihc Madras Native Association on 26 February,
1852 to ventilate their grievances to the government. At first the
Association wanted to serve as a branch o f the British Indian Asso-
ciation, Calcutta, but owing to certain differences, the Assaciation
severed its connection with the Calcutta Association and constituted
itself as an independent association. On the very day of its forma-
tion. the Association presented a petition to the Madras Government
highlighting the grievances of the people of the Presidency.
After the adcent of the Crown's administration, the Association
submitted their petitions to the Madras Government in 1859 and
1861 pointing out the Lapses of the Government and requested re-
dressal of the grievances of the people.
In petition of 1859, the Madras Native Association pointed
out the abuses in the system of 'Grants-in-aid' to the mission schools.
The petition requested the abolition of the system. ~t
requested that the Government instend of giving grants to the mis-
sionschmIs should establish government provincial schools, so
the people could afford to have better education. Another demand
made in the pelition was that the government oscials shoutd not
take Part in the ativities of the mmissionaries.
The petitlon of 1861
In 1861, the Madras Native Association submitted one more
petition to the Government pointing out the hardships caused to the
wup\e by >he v u i o u acts of coolmission and olnission b y the
administran on.
 A N D m UNDER THB CRUWN 57

The petition made a pointed reference to the abuses jn the

. revenue department. It pointed outbthat in the operation of &e
Ryotwari System of land tenure the common abuse was over-assess-
ment. When the ryots refused to pay the excess of the assessment
their houses were stripped of their roofs, their ploughs, plough-
ing catlle, grain, seed and forage For their grazing cattle
wcre nttscbed and sold by auction. When the proceeds of the
auction was insufficient to cover the cxccss of essessmenr, the ryors
were arrested. The ryots were harassed in other ways also. The
families of the defaulters were not permitted to draw water from the
tanks and wells for domestic purposes.
In districts like Ganjam, Visnkhapatnam and Krishna where the
zamindari system of land revenue prevailed, there were many abuses
and the condition of tbe ryots was miserable. Under the zam~ndari
system of land tenure, the zamindars paid a sum nominally esiimat-
ed dt 35 per cent to the Government. They kept I5 per cent as their
share and the remaining 50 per cent was left to the cultivator, who
bad to meet all the expenses of cultivation and also pay 'durbary'
and other expenses of the zamindar.
As both the systenis namely, the Ryotwari and Zamindari
contained many abuses, the Madras Native Association suggested
the introduction of the Village System, or the collection of the
revenue from the land by means of villages instead of individuals,
;vi(ltout thc interference of the zamindass or middlemen an one
hand and free from rhe harassing oppression of the government
servants on the other. The Government would stand to benefit by
this system since first it would be relieved from the loss and corrup-
tion entailed by the Ryotwari Syslem. Secondly, it was secured
from all loss arising from unequal land tax. Thirdly, the revenut
would not depend upon the correct assessment of the cultivation.
Fourthly, the charge of collection would be considerably decreased.
Thz petition pointed uut that a lighter and a rnore reasonable assess
meat would ensure a much larger cultivation and rhereby the
revenues of the government would be incrcased.l
'The petition next pointed out the other grievance of the people
arising out of the imposition of a vexatious impost called 'Moturpha'
or tm upon trade and occupntions. It was imposed even on 'the
must trifling articles of trade.' In addition to 'Mo~wpha'there
were other imposts to raise what wns called "extra revenuc." Poor
people were Forced t o pay taxes for gcttmg certain privileges like
cutting junglewood, grazing cattle in forests, and even Tor collecting
mw-d~g or cutting gross used in thatching. Thc "poorest of the
paor" were forced t o pay taxes. The petition wanted the aboIition
oflMoturpha' and other vexatious imposts.'
1 , petition of the Madras NaJivaAssocIetion. 1861,to ihe Governor or Madras.
Quoted as Document NO.45 In T/tc Freedom Slruggle in ~ d h m ~rade~h
v0]. 1, lam-1905Bd.
, by M.Venkatarangaiah, Hydorabad, 1%6,
pp. 195-202.
2. /bid.
58 HISMQY OF MODERN ANDHRA

~h~ next grievance to which the attention of the Government was

I
drawn, was the salt monopoly, which was introduced by the East
India Company to raise revenue. The government began to auction
the manufacture of salt to contractors. This resulted in an abnor-
mal increase in the price of salt. The petition wanted the abolition
of salt monopoIy. ~talso wanted that the Government should stop
producing arra& in i s distilleries as the consumption of spirituous
liquors had hcreased and wns ruining the poor.'
The petition next pointed out the inefficiency and corruption in
the public works department. It pointed that the canals, reservoirs
and other irrigationiil works were not kept in good repair. This
had resulted in the decline of agriculture. Thc petition opposed the
practice of the Government in entrusting the construction of irriga-
tiond works to the revenue officials like Tahsildars. These officials
who had no knowledge of engineering not only delayed the con-
struction of works, but also misappropriated the funds. The petition
also pointed out the inadequate attention paid by the Government t o
the construction of roads. Less than one per cent of the revenue of
the Government was spent for this purpose. The petition criticised
the Government for forcing the poor ryots to construct roads at their
own expense.
The next grievance pointed out in the petition was the adminis-
tration of the law courts. Many of the judges were without any
legal training. They were drafted from the revenue department.
The petition wanted the appointment of judges who had good ground-
ing in law so that they could discharge their duties impartially.
The petition wanted that the police be made a sepaate depart-
ment. Tlie police, as they happened to be under the revenue depart-
ment were drafted to assist the oficials in the collection of revenue,
neglecting their immediate duty of preserving the lives and property
of the people. 1
FinalIy, the petition wanted the abolition of the I.C.S. and the I
appointment of Indians to higher positions in the bureaucracy.
~drmni$rtratian
BY 1856 Andhra had eight colIectorates. They were (1) Gaajam,
(2) Visakhapatnam, (3) Godavari, (4) Krishna (Machilipaham),
(5) Nellore. ( 6 ) BelIary, (7) Cuddapah and (8) Kurnool.
T b northern most collectorate waithat of Ganjam. ]t consisted
ofthe Present Ganjam district of Orissa and Srikakulam district of 1
Andha Praderh. The Ganjam district which formed part of the I
Chicacole Circar came under British control in 1766, ~h~ district
was divided into two geographical regions-the plains and the hills, I
The hill region inhabited by tribals was &ministrativdy knownas
the *gency area- By cbe k t of 1839, the C&wtor of Gaojam
exercised Power over the Agency area as an Agent of G ~ ~
Far PUT P o s e of revenue the district had two distinct ,.zi the
Zmindari tract and tbe Ryotwari and Inam tract,
I. Bld,
 The district experienced political disturbances in 1813 and 1g32.
The Pindaris raided tha district in the thirties. The Khonds a d
other tribals rose in revolt and it was put down with a heavy h n d
by George Russel in 1836. Towards the end of the last century there
was another tribal insurrection under the leadership of Korra Mal-
layya. The rapacity of the money-lenders and tradesmen of the
piarns and the corruption and the haughty behaviour of the ofticids
provoked the Girijans to rise in revolt against the Govanment. The
revolt was put down and Mallayya was arrested and he died in
prison.
The Visakbapatnam and Godavari districts also contained Agency
areas. The Godavari district came under the control of the Easl
India Company in 1766 when it acquired the Northern Circars. In
1802 the two collectorates at Rajahmundry and Kakinada were
united into the district of Rajahmundry. When the Crown took
over the adrninstration. the district df Rajahmundry, Machilipatnnrn,
aod Krishna were re-organised into two districts of Godavari and
Krishna. Bhadrachalam Taluk was added to the Godavari district
in 1874 from the Central Province.
The majority of the people of Andhra depended on agriculture
for their livelihood. Rice was the principal cereal crop. The Com-
pany did not pay much attention to the development of agriculture.
Only towards the end of its rule it constructed anicuts over the
Godavari and Krishna districts. Due to the untlring efforts of Sir
Arthur Corton an anicut across the Godavari river at Dowalesh-
waram was complet~d in 1849. It brought immediate prosperity
to the district which suffered acutely From a severe famine in 1833.
Similarly the anicut which was constructed over the Krishna a t
Vijayawada in 1854 brought prosperity to the district.
When the Crown took over the administration it did not evince
much intercst for the development nf irrigational works. Tht only
important irrigationat work it undertook in Andbra was the con-
struction of the Kurnool-Cuddapah Canal.
The general condition of the ryots was miserable ~inderthe
crown's administration due to high incidence of taxation and defec-
tive tenancy laws. More than a third of the cultivated area was
under the zamindari tenure. Rents payable by the ryats were not
fixed and they were liable t o be evicted by the zamiadars at any time.
Before 1884, there was n o legislation protecting the teoents of the
m i o d a r s . In the Ryotwari area the condition of the tenants was
in no way better. Even though the survey and settlement work was
completed before 1895, no nttempt was made to levy tax Dn land by
taking into consideration the fertility of the soil, expenses of pro-
duction and the course of prices. The taxes on the ryots were so
heavy that Lokaranjmf. a Telugo journal, complained b October,
1875 that the ryots were better off under the Company's administra-
tion than under the Crown.
a result of the Government's indifference towards the ryots
And hra suffered frequently from famines.
Faminee
HETORY OF MODERN AMlHRA

Andhra suffered from severe famines in the nineteenth century-

I
The most severe famine commonly known as the canjam famine
occurred during the years 1865-66. I n the early decades of the 1 s t
century, Ganjam district experienced famines during the Years
1799-1801 and 1836-39. These famines were partly due to the
po)itical disturbances in the district. The famine of 1865-66 canllot
be ascribed to potitical disturbances. I t occurred because of specula-
tion. When America was involved jn a Civil War during the year
1861-65, Great Britain imported raw cotton from India. As a
result the price of cottan increased. The ryots of the Ganjam
district took advantage of the situation and grew cotton. They
earned good profits. But after the end of the American Civil War,
American cotton began to be imported into England, and the market
was glutted with cotton. This resulted in the fall of cotton prices.
The ryots of Ganjam who had pinned thzir hopes on reaping huge
profits suddenly became paupers. There were no buyers for
their cotton. All their investments went down the drain. Not only
that, the rice became scarce, since cotton was grown on the fields
where previously paddy was cultivated. The scarcity of rice hit all I
1
I
sections of the population. Thousatids of people died of hunger.
Msny people migrated to South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji and other
distant places, as coolies.
I
Famines occurred in other districts also due to the lack of icriga- \\
tionaI facilities. The RayaIaseema area bt :ame a famine-stricken
area. Not less than I I famines occurred during the latter half of the
last century. Thousands of peopte died on roadsides in the districts
of Cuddapah and Kurnool. Visakhapatnam district was also affected
by famine, but it did not suffer like the RayaIaseema districts. As
the district was Linked with Krishua and Godavari districts by rail,
rice was imported from two surplus districts. Rice from Bengal and
Burma was also imported into the district by steamer. The district
was also fortunate in having good roads connecting it with the rice
producing areas of Jeypore and Central Province. h a result the
famines the population decreased in Rayalaseema, Guntur and
Ganjam in the seventh and eighth decadec of the last century.
Famines had an effect on crime rate. Grain riots occurred in many
'Andhra districts and troops were sent to quell the violence, ~h~
severity of the famines could have been mitigated had the govern-
ment improved irrigational fac~lities. The Government did even
formulate a famine code. Another effect of the famineswas that a
a large number of people cspecialty in Guntur and Cuddapah dis-
tricts were converted into Christianity by foreign missionaries who
opened famine relief camps.
DePline of Handicrafts
With the advent of the Crown's rule the condition of the arti-
sans b-e miserable. The different handicrafts were unable to
f a y camptition from machine-made goods and a large number of
msans were thrown out of employment. No new industries were
 ANOHgA UNDER TEM CROWN 61

established to absorb them. Many artisans left the counrry to sceK

employment as co~liesin Burma, Malaysia and other countries.
Communication
In the field of communication not much progress was made in
the construction of roads, bridges and railways. The Government for-
mulated its policy in the development of communication with the
aim of strengthening the defences of the country. As the Government
feared a n attack on India from the North, it strengthened the defence
of North India by n network of roads and railways. The South
was neglected. Jn And hra, railway construction began only in 1862
and the line between Puttur and Renigunta was commissioned in
September 1862. Other lines were constructed during 1864-69 con-
necting Gooty with Renigunta.
From the above account it is clear that the British administra-
tion in India did nothing to implement the pledges given by the
Queen in her proclamation. That is why the period between the
years 1858-85 is regarded as the period of broken pledges.
Reforms of Salarjang
When (Turab Ali Khan) Salarjang became the Diwnt~ on 31
May 1853, the economic and political situation of the States was in a
dangerous condition. The loss of the rich and fertile districts of
Berar, Raichur and Dhrashiv (Osmanabad) adversely affected the
finances of the State. Further. it increased the hatred nnd suspicion
of the Nizarn towards thc East India Company. These factors made
the position of Salarjang very dificult.
Financial Reforms .
Salarjang b s t turned his attention to improve the finances of the
State and reduce its outstanding debts. For this purpose he adopted
two measures. First, he reduced the powers of the daftardars who
controlled the revenue collections of the State Secondly, he appoint-
ed paid Taluqdars to collect the revenue. Previously, collection of
revenue w a s auctioned tu contractors who had oppressed and
exploited the people mercilessly. These two measures brought
remarkable change in the revenue collection of the state. Salarjsng
immediately redeemed the State jewels from mortgage. He raised
new loans at reasonable rates of interest to reduce the outstanding
debts of the State.
His other financial reforms include the introduction of the halisik-
La rupee. A central mint was established at Hyderabad to issue
new coins and the district mints at places like Gadwal and Narayan-
pet were abolished. This measure helped in contro1ling the coun-
terfeit coins.
Reform of the Jndiciary
~o order to reform the judiciary a-number of judicial officers
called munsiffs and mir adils were appo~ntedin the did-. These
ofiicers were controlled by a High Court at Hyderabad called Mah-
kama-i-Sadar. Above the High Court there was a Court of A P P ~
62 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

or Supreme Court called Majlis-i-Murafa. In the city of Hyderabad

the civil courts called Buzung (Senior) Diwani Adalat and Khurd
(Junior) Diwani Adalat were established. A Criminal Court called
Faujdari Adalat was also established. The Chief Judge was called
the Nazjm.
In addition there were Darul Kazi or Kazi Court which adminis-
tered Muhammadan law and Mahkama-i-Sadarat a court which
tried cases connected with religious endowments and charities.
In addition a separate Department of Judiciary was created to
co-ordinate the work of the different courts.
Administrative Reforms
Originally Hyderabad State was dividcd into six regions or subas.
Each suba was divided into Sarkars or Divisions and each Sarkar
was divided into Talukas or Districts Each suba was headed by a
Subedar. In the enrly decades of the 19th century the subas were
abolished
Each Taluka, which roughly corresponded to a district, was
under the charge of a Tntukdar whose position was akin to that of
a district collector in British India. The Talukdars were not paid-
servants of the government. They were given commission on the
revenues collected. The Talukdars were appointed on account of
their position and influence and were required to pay a 'Nazar'
which wm nothing but a bribe. Sometimes the Nazar was as high
as a year's revenue. The Talukdars were not required to stay at
district head quarters. They usuaIly resided at Hyderabad leaving
a '33ib' or deputy in the district to collect the revenue. As this
system was full of abuses, Metcalfe, the Resident at Hyderabad
appointed British officers in the districts to supervise the work of the
Talukdars, but i n 1830. these European Supervisors were removed
and native officers called 'Amins' were appointed in their place.
But as they proved to be inefficient they were removed in 1840.
I n 1855 Salarjang introduced his first administrative reform by
appointing paid Talukdars (collectors), in the place of contractors
or revenue farmers.
In 1865 the 'Zila band? System was introduced. The State was
divided into fourteen districts. Each Zila (district) was headed by a '
Awal Talukdar (District CoIlector). He was assisted by Doyum
Talukdars who roughly corresponded to sub-collectors in British
h d i a . The third category of officials were known as Soyurn Taluk-
dws, who corresponded to Tahsildars of British India.
To supervise the work of the Talukdars, an Administrative
Board known as Majlis-i-Malguzari was created in 1865. It: was
however abolished within two years. After its abolition, the fourteen
districts were grouped into five regional divisions. Over each
Regional Division a Sadar Talukdar was appointed. He corres
Ponded to the Revenue Commissioners of British India.
 ANDHRA UNDER. TEE CROWN 63
Policc
Before 1865there was no regular police system in Hyderabad
State In the Telengana region the hereditary system of village
watchman flourished. In big cities like Hyderabad and Aurangabad
there were Kotwals or Police Commissioners. But gradually the
police functions were performed by the revenue officials.
Salarjang created a police department called Mahkama-i-Kotwali.
A police force called Nizarnat was created. The superintendents of
police were called Muhtanlins, and the inspectors Amins. The police
stations were called chaukis.
Education
In order to get trained personnel to run the administration of the
State, Salarjang introduced a number of reforms in the field afedu-
cation. A beginning was made to impart Western education to the
State when Dnrul-ulum High School was established in 1855. The
school. besides imparting education in Persian and Urdu lan-
guages also fauglil English. NO further developments wcre made in
the field of cducation during the life-time of the Nizam Afzabud-
Daula. But when Salarjang became co-regent in 1869, he estab-
lished many schools for teaching English and imparting Western
education. The City High School and the Chanderghnt High School
were established in 1870 and 1872 respectively. The School of
Engineering was established in 1870 to produce the required tech-
nical staff to man the public works department, In 1873 Madrasa-
e-Aliya was established for the children of the nobles. For the
members o f the Royal family Mndrasa-e-Aim was opened in 1878.
As a result of these schook, a small but very articulate intellectual
elite wns created in the city of Hyderabad. A few years after the
denth of Salarjang, the famous Nizam College was established in
1887, by merging the intermediate classes of the Chanderghat High
School with Madrasa-e-Aliya. Besides establishing these education-
al iwtitutions in Hyderabad city Salarjang rendered financial
assistance to Sir Syed Ahmad in estnblirhing educational institutions
at Aligarh. Two Hyderabad officials Wiqar-ul-Mulk and Mohsin-
ul-Mulk took active part in the developing of Aligarh College.
Commrmications
Commuoications of the State Ware improved with the completion
of t h e Hyderabad-Sholapur road aad the commissioning of Madras-
Bombay Railway line i n 186B. The Bombay-Madras Railway line
passed thrnuvh the important towns of rhe State like Gulberga and
Wadi, In 1878 the Railway line conne~tlng Hyderabad with Wadi
was completed.
Public Services
In order to improve the administrative standards of the State,
Salarjang recruited talented persons from all over the country. A
large number of Mudims and Kayclsthas of North India entered
Hyderabad services. Among them Syed Hussain ~ilgrami, Syed
Ali Bilgrami, Mohib Hussain, Syed Mehdi Ali, Mohh M d k became
64 HISTORY OP MODERN A N D ~

famous as able administrators. From Bengal, persons like Aghora-

nath Chattopadhyaya entered the educational institution of the city.
The induction of a Iarge number of outsiders into the administration
of the State later led to friction between the local peopIe and the
outsiders. This friction led t o what was known as tlie Mulki
agitation.
New Ministries
I n 1868 Salarjang appointed four ministers called Sadar-ul-
Mahams. Three of these ministers were given the charge of the
newly created departments of the police, revenue and judiciary.
The fourth minister mas in-charge of the othcr departments like
education, health, etc. These ministers worked under the Ditvan or
the Prime Minister. There was no cabinet o r council of ministers.
Land Revenue
In Telengana the Ryotwari System of land revenue prevailed.
There were, however, a number of zamindars like those of Muna-
gala, Amlrachints. Glclwal. etc. Each village had a hereditary
oficial called Patel. Sometimes he was assisted by a Foujdarl
Pate1 to suppress crime and maintain l a w and order. The village
accountant was known a s Patwari o r Pandya. Villages were grouped
into circles under D2shmukhs (head Patets) and Deshpandya. The
zamindars were entitled to a share OF revenue called 'Rusum'.
The important sourczs of income to the State after land revenue
Were the customs (sair) and excise (abkari) duties. Other sources of
income were desh pati or local fund, peshcush, tribute from the
local Rajas, Nazranas or succession fee paid by chiefs.
Estimate
Salarjang by his skill and energy rendered signal service Fo the
Hyderabad State during the critical years following fhe mutiny of
1857.
After 1859 Salarjang did not enjoy the full cqnfidence of the
Nizam add he tried to dismiss hits, in 1860 and a p n In 1867. But
the position was saved for SaIarjang by the Brit~sh Residents at
Hyderabad. The Residents knew very well the valuable services
rendercd by Salarjnng to the British during the critical period of
1857- 1858. So Colonel Davidson. the Residevt at Hyderabad pre-
vented the Nimm from dismissing Salarjang i n 1860. In 1867 the
position of Salarjang was saved due to the intervention of the
Resident, Yule. In February 1 869, the Nizarn, Afzal-ud-Daula died
and was succeeded by his three-year-old infant son Mir Mahaboob
A s Khan. The British Government appointed Salarjang and
Amem-eKabir Bahadur as co-regents during the minority of the
Nizam. This arrangement gave Salarjang freedom of action. He
became for all priictical purposes the sole administrator. He utilised
his position to improve the administration of the State.
It was mainly due to his efforts the districts of Dharashiv and
Raichur were restored to the Nizam in 1860. He made many efforts
 ANDHRA DNDHR THE CROWN 6.5

to secure the restoration of the district of Berm and also cabanca

the poIitiea1 status of Hyderabad State. When his efforts with the
Government of India failed to secure the restoration of Berar, he
visited England to discuss the subject with the British Government.
His efforts did not succeed and he had to return to India disap-
pointed. The Government of India took a serious view of his activi-
ties in England and tried to undermine his position in tho State by
appointing Wiqar-uI-Omrah as the co-re;ent. Wiqar was the
brother of the co-regent A~neer-e-Kabirwho died in April 1877. He
Was not well disposed towards Salarjang. When Salarjang threat-
ened to resign, the Government of India informed him that his
resignation would bc accepted. Salarjang therefore yielded and
also agreed not to raise the question of Berar till the Nizam came of
age. Tlie efforts of Salarjang to secure the restoration of Berar
created great panic in the mind of Lord Lytton. In his letter to
Sir Richard Meadc, the British Resident at Hyderabad, Lord Lytton
confessed That
the intrigues of Sir Salarjang were regarded by me as the greatest
danger to which tho British power in I n d ~ awas exposed durFg
my Viceroylty, -a danger far greater than any which was ln-
valved in war or famine.
That danger was imminent, and if the gravity of which re-
mained unknown to the public and to parlinrnent it is because it
wJaq unostentatiously but effectualIy averted and its recurrence
rendered irnpossibIe by the skill and courage with which you
most ably carried out your onerous instructions in dealing with
it.1
Pubfic Awakening in Hyderabad
A h r the death of Salarjung 1 on 8 February, !883 some changes
were made in the administration of the Stnte. Mir Laik Ali Khan,
the son of Salarjung I and Raja Narender Bahadur were nominated
as the joint administrators of the State. They were assisted by a
Council of Regency which consisted of the prominent noblemen of
the State. The Nizam presided aver the Council. Soon after the
constitution of he Regency Council, the Stale was rocked by an
agitation known as "The Chaada Railway Scheme," It was already
noted that the railway line connecting Hyderabad with Wadi was
commissioned in 1878 A British company proposed to take over
this line from the State and extend it to Vijayawada on one side and
the Chanda on the other. The scheme was approved during the
last days of Salarjung's adminiswation, It however. came to bc
jmpjemented during the term of the Council of Regency. Under
the schema, the Stnte Government of Hyderabad agreed to guaratlL
tee a certain interest to the British company which raised the
necevsarp funds for the project. The detniIs of the scheme were qclt
made public. It was rumourcd that the scbeme was unremuneratlvc
and would result in a heavy financial loss to the State. By 1880 a
. General Slr Richard Mead8 and ;he F.udoiory Staler of Central d Soulhern
Thornton,
I~~ II, p. 361.
66 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

small but very articulate intellectual elite had grown up in Hyder-

abad which used to take lively interest in public affairs. When the
scheme for the extension of the railway lines in the State was
announced, the educated citizens of Hyderabad formed "the Com-
mittee to Consider the Chanda Railway Scberne." Two important
members of the Committee were Dr Aghornatb Chattopadhyaya,
Principal of the Hyderabad College and Mulla Abdul Qayum. The
Committee requested the Government to place before the public the
fult details of the scheme. For the first time such a request had
been made to the Government which functioned in a high-handed
manner. The request was too much for the Regency Council. The
immediate result was that Dr. Chattopadhyaya was suspended from
service and deported from the State on 20 May, 1883. With the
deportation of Dr Chattopadhyayi the agitation collapsed and the
scheme was implemented. The deportation of Dr Chattopadhyaya
created a stir in and outside the State and important papers like the
Times of India and the Bontbay Gazette gave much publicity to the
incident. Two years later, in 1885, Dr Chattopadhyaya was per-
mitted to return to Hyderabad and assume the post of the Principal
of Nizarn College. The Chanda Railway Scheme agitation was the
begnning of the growth of public awakening in Hyderabad.'
Rampa Rebellion 1879
Hyderabad State was free from all political disturbances after the
suppression of the great mutiny in 1857-58. Flowever, in 1879. the
two revolts which broke out at Rampa and Rekapalle in the Goda-
vari district of the Madras Presidency had their effects on the Kham-
mam district of the Hyderabad State.
Rampa was a small village in the Chodavaram division of the
Godavari district. Rekapalle was a small village in the Bhadra-
chalam Taluka of the Godavari district. In 1879 rebellion broke
out in these two villages for entirely different reasons.
The area round the Rampa viflag formed part of the Agency
tract of the Godavari district. In 1813 the Company forn:ulated
the revenue settlement of the area. The chief of the area rvho was
responsible for the maintenance of law and order was known as
Mansabdar. The Mansabdar was assisted by a number of Mutta-
dars or subordinate hill-chiefs. Trouble in Rampa region started as
early as 1835 when the Mansabdar Ramabhupati Dev died leav-
ing a daughter and an illegitimate son named Madhavati Rambhu-
pathi Dev. The Muttadars reco~nised the daughter as the heiress.
She announced that she would remain unmarried, but in 1840 she
was driven out of the village when her chastity was suspected. The
Madras Government took over the estate and placed it under the
court of Wadi. In 1 848 the estate was handed over to Maddavati
Rambhupati Dev, 'the illegitimate son of the former Mansabdar.
The Muttadars agreed to accept the new Msnsabdar, provided he
agreed not to extract more rents from them.
1 . The Freedom Struggle in Hydsrobadd Vol. IT, 1B57-I885, Hyderabad. 1956.
 ANDHRA UNDER m CROWN 67

Within a short time, the new Mamabdar indulged in a series of

provomtive acts. He began to occupy the lands of the muttadus
and oppressed them i n various ways. The police and the local
oficials connived his activities since he bribed them. When the
tribals revolted, it was crushed down with aheavy hand by the
police. The mansabdar became so haughty that he confiscated the
lands of the eight muttadars. He also imposed unauthorised taxes
on persons collecting fuel from the forests, and grazing their cattle.
From these unlarvful levies he derived considerable amount of
revenoe. H e made the people believe that aU his actions had the
sanction of the Government. The higher officials were completely
ignorant of the discontent of the tribals as the tocal officials never
informed the higher authorities of the depradations of the man-
sabdar.
This discontent of the tribafs increased whm the government
introduced new abkari regulations preventing the tribals from
tapping toddy for domestic purposes. The right of tapping toddy
was auctioned t o the highcst bidders. The toddy contractors allowed
the tribals to draw toddy only after paying a fee called Chiguru-
polmu. T h e mansabdar imposed an additional levy called Modalu-
pat~nit at the rate of one half or two-thirds of Cl~igtirtrponnll. These
two levies were the immediate cause of the Rarnpa rebellion of
1879. Another contributing cause was the unpopularity of the
PoIice who had assisted the toddy contractors and the mansabdar
in coltecting these levies.
Insurrection broke out in 1879 and it extended over ao area of
5,000 miles in the hilly and jungle tracts. The Govcmmcnt deployed
as n~anyas six regiments of Madras Infantry, two companies of
Sappers and Miners and a Squadron of Cavalry and a wing of
isfantry from the Hyderabad contingent.
The leaders of the insurgents were Chandrayya, Sardar Jangam
hlicanta Sambayya, Karu Tammanna Dora and Ambul Reddl of
Boduluru. Sambayya war arrested as early as 29 April 1879, Chan-
drayya, however scored many successes in the Yellavaram division
a t the beginning of May and succeeded in burnipg Addatigala Police
Station. The disaffection spread to Rekapalle and Dutcb!rti. It
was also rumoured that the hill tribes of Polavaram wou!d Join the
Insurgents. So the government moved troops from all sides. The
northern and eastern parts of Rampa country were occupied by the
Sepoys and military posts were established along the banks of the
Godavari and Saveri (Sabari). At the same ttme. Sullivan, First
Member of the Board of Revenue visited the dlstrlct to ascertain
the real cause of the trouble and suggest remedial measures. The
Mansabdar was deposed and the Mutraders were prom~sedthat they
could deal directly with the These measures defused
the situation. BY August 1979 as many as 70 of Chandrayya's men
had been captured and the Rampa area was comparative~yquiet.
Rekapalie was also pacified about the same time. The aPPre-
hended rishg in Polavararn did not take place. AmbuI Reddi was
68 USTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

captured in November 1879 and Chandrayya was kilIed in 1890. By

November 1880 order was restored.
Rekapalle
Rekapalle joined the Rampa rebellion in 1879 and gave much
trouble to the government. The causes of the rising were quite differ-
ent from those of the Rampa rebellion. When that area was uiider
Central Province administration Podu cultivation was unrestricted
and the assessment on it was four annas an axe. When the area
was included in the Madras Presidency in 1874, the Madras Govern-
ment increased the tax by three times as it wanted to discourage
Podu cultivation since it resulted in deforestation. The govern-
ment had also prohibited the felling of certain species of trees in
reserved forest areas. These new taxes and restrictions were consi-
dered a grievance. The Rampa rebel leaders exploited these grie-
vances of the people of Rekapalle and invited them to revott. On
10 July 1879, the Rampa rebels under Arnbul Reddi assisted by the
tribals of Rekapalle attacked Vaddegudem Police Station. The
attack failed. But the rebels succeeded in capturing a police patrol
party. Thereupon the Government scnt an armed force and pacified
the area. By September order was restored. Rekapalle was dis-
turbed again in October 1880 when T m m a n n a Dora looted some
of the villages. But the Government restored law and order within
a short time.
The revolts at Rampa and RekapaIle were of a minor nature and
they did not pose a serious challenge to thc British authority in
India.
 The awakening of Andhra
The latter half of the nineteenth century saw the beginning of
new stirrings in the minds of the Andhras. With the establishment
of the University of Madras in 1857 hjgher education in Aodhra
began to make much progress. In 1843 the Church Missionary
Socict3 under the leadership of Rev. Noble started a school at
Machilipatnam for impartiog western education. b 1864 it was up-
graded as a collcgc. In 1873 the Government of Madras started a
second grade college at Rajahmundry. It was made a Degree College
in 1877. The 1878 the Hindu College (the present Mrs.A.V.N.
College) was established nt Visakhapatnam. In 1879 the KhaUikota
College was established at Berhampur. The spread of English edu-
cation in Andhra especialIy in the coastal districts created a new
class of elite imbued with the liberalism of the West. They felt suffo-
cated jn the orthodox set-up of Hindu society of the time. They
gave up their attitudc of uncritical deference to authority, tradition
and custom and became pioneers of the social and political reform
movement.
Kandukuri Veeresalingarn
(1848-1919)
He (Veeresalingam) shook them out o f their medieval stupor; he
whipped them out of their ignorance; he purged them of many of
their superstitions; and he gave an altogether modern, progres-
sive and humanistic turn to their lile and thoughtV1
Andbra Desh and Andhra people could not be what they are if
Veeresalingam had not arrived to vitdise them. He was one of
the great men of India, of keen insight, great courage and dm-
mic mergy. He fought against untruth and championed the
cause of progress with Herculean vigour.'
Sri ~eeresa~ingam Pantula was one of the earliest pioneers in
South Jndia to demand and work for radical changm in our
society, Like all pioneers who are aheed of their time, hesaffercd
misunderstanding and We owe it to his memory to
1. V.R Narla. Veeresalingrrm
2. Rajaji, (Ed.), Swatantm (Madras, 1948). Cantenary tribntas, p. 10.
70 H~BTORYOF MODERN ANDHRA

work for social regeneration even as he did, braving all ridicule

and daager.1
"'Veeresalingam is the greatest Andhra of modern times. He
sums up in his personal history the evolution of an epoch. ..
Most people live without illuminating the epoch in which they
live. They neither give nor catch the light. The hcco is he who
both catches and generates new spirit, that fecund principle of
change and advancement without which life becomes mere stag-
nation and a nuisance. Veeresalingam reflected the new age
because he was one of its potent makers. If he was the cseator
it was partly because he was its creative, for only they create who
allow themselves to be impregnated by the tirnc spirit.=
The above tributes reveal the personality of Veeresaiingam who
was born at Rajahmundry on 16 April 1848. His father Subbarayudu
was a poor brahmin. His mother was Purnamma. Veeresalingam
last his father when he was only four years old.
In spite of her poverty Purnamma wanted to give her son the best
possible educatioa. So she sent him to the Government District
School. He passed the Matriculation examination in 1869. He
worked as a teacher at Kerangi and at Rajahmundry as Senior
Telugu Pandit.
Literary Activities
His literary activities were varied. He wrote the first novel in
Telugu Rajasekhura Cl~arilram. He was the first to render drama
in Telugu. The first Telugu books on natural sciences and history
were written by him. He was tbe first to write in prose for women.
I n fact he was the father of the renaissance movement in Andhra
Social Reforms
Education of Women
During the 1870s there was a lively controversy in the Telugu
~ournals'Andbra Basha Sanjivini' and 'Purushadra Prodayini' on
the question of educating girls. 'Andhra Basha Sanjivini' was edited
by Mahamahopadhyaya Kokonda Venkataratnam Pantul u, 'Purusha-
dra Pradayini' was edited by Uma RaoganayakuIa Naidu OF Machili-
patnam. Kokonda Veukataratnam was a traditionalist. (His jour-
rial Andhra Baoha Sanjivini started In 1871 favoured the use of
'Grandika Basha' or literary style as opposed to 'Vyavaharika Basha'
or spoken idiom). It also opposed western learning and social re-
form. Veeresalingam took part In the controversy by championing
women's education. To propagate his views effectively Veeresalin-
gam started his journal 'Vivekavardh~ni'in 1874 at Rajahmundry. in
order to ridicule the opponents of women's education he wrote many
satires, lampoons and dramas like 'Brahma Vivaham', criticising early
marriages, Kanya Sulkam and marriage of old men with young girls.
1. S. Radhakrishnan, Swantantra (Madras, 1948), p.
V.R. Narla, p. 81.
2. C.R. Readdy, quotad in Veeresulingon~,
 THE AWAILENING O F ANDHRA 71
To practice what he had preached he started a girls school at
Dawaleswaram in September 1874. i t was the first institution of its
kind in Andhra. Its headmaster was Malladi Achanna Sastri. In
188 1 he established anolller school for girls at Innispeta in Rajah-
mundry. He had also educated his wife Rajyalakshmi, so that she
could help him in his social reform activitks. Besides the school
for women, he started schools for harijans and night schools for
the working classes. He was also the first in Andhra to encourage
CO-education. He admitted girls into the educational institutions
started by him.
Widow Re-mnrriagcs
Vceresalingam's pioneering work in the emancipation of thr:
Andhra widows overshadows his achievements in other branches of
social reform.
In 1874 a Widow Re-marriage Association was started in Madras
with much fanfare. Some of the eminent citizens of Madras like
Dewan Bahadur R. Ranganatha Rao and P. Chenchal Rau were its
member%. But within two years the association became moribund.
tn 1875 Mahanlahopadhyaya Paravastu Venkata Ran~~charyulu of
Vlsakhapatnam published a book called "Punarvivaha Sangrahamu"
favouring the re-marriage of widows.
Kokanda Venkataratnam was outraged by the very idea of widow
re-marriage. He took cudgels against Rangacharyulu and tried to en-
list the support of Veeresalingam in spite af the fact that he and
Veeresalingam were not on cordial terms. Veeresalingam whose
syrnpathlcs were on the side of the widows, however, felt that by
merely indulging in debate and discussion the movement for widow
remarriage could not be carried forward. So he bided his time.
By 1875 Veeresalingam developed contacts with influential British
officers and eminent citizens of Madras and other towns of the Presi-
dency. E. P. Metcalfe, the popular Principal of Government Arts
College, Rajahmundry took keen interest in the activities of Veeresa-
lingam and enrolled himself as a subscriber of 'Vivekavardhini', the
journal of Veeresalingam. About half a dozen citizens of Rajah-
mundry, includiag Basavaraju Gavara Raju became ardent followers
of Veetesslingam and supported his lictivitjcs. On September 1878
Sanga Samskarana Samajam (Social Reform Association) was ertab-
lished at Rajahmundry.
In order to convince the orthodox leaders, like Kokonda Venkata-
ratnam and V e d a Venkataraya Sastrr, that ra-marriage of the
widows was not prohibited by the old Dharma Sastra, Vemsalingam
began to address public meetings where he quotcd chapter and versa
from the Sastras to prove his point. On 3 August 1879 he delivered
his first lecture on the re-marriage of the widow at Maharaja's Girls
School. ~h~ speech created a sensation throughout the Andhradesa.
On 12 October, be delivered his second lecture at the same place.
The orthodox leaders took up the challenge and or-d special
72 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDFlRA

meetings to counter the arguments of Veeresalingam. In these

public debates held at Rajahmundry and Kakinada, the opponents
of widow re-marriage could not prove their point. So they encour-
aged the rowdies to physically assault Veeresalingam but he was
saved by his students.
In 1880, Veeresalingam with his two steadfast friends, Challa-
palli Bapayya and Basavaraju Gavara Raju formed the Widow Re-
marriage Association. After creating the necessary psychological
background, Veeresalingam plunged into action. I-Ie sent his stu-
dents to different and remote places to find out persons who were
prepared to marry widows. But the most diflicult part was to find
parents who were prepared to get their widow daughters re-married.
Veeresalingam came to know that a mother of a young widow was
anxious to get her daughter re-married. So he sent his students to
the remote village where the young widow lived and with great diffi-
culty brought her safely to Rajahmundry. The name of the widow
was Sitamma. She was married to Gogulapati Sriramulu on 11
December I88 1 at Rajahmundry. Thus, the first widow re-marriage
in h d h r a from the higher castes was performed. The marriage
was performed in a tense atmosphere. The orthodox leaders of
Rajahmundry uied their best to break up the marriage. The students
m d the followers of Veeresalingam were equally determined to see
that the marriage was performed. The police had guarded the entire
locality where the marriage took place. Affer failing in their attempt
to frusrrate the marriage, the orthodox leaders ex-communicated
31 families who took part in the celebration.
The second widow re-marriage took place four days after the first.
On 15 December 1881, Racharla Ramchandra Rao married a widow
named h t n a m m a . By 1892 twenty widow re-marriages took place.
ln his efforts. Veeresalingam was financially supported by Pyda
Ramakrishnayya, a philanthropic merchant of Kakinada, who on
different occasions gave a total amount of Rs. 30,000. To look
after the widows, who were not re-married, and disowned by the
parents, Veeresalingam built a widow's home at Madras in 1897 and
at Raja hmundry in 1905.
In 1883 Veeresalingam started a monthly magazine called 'Satihita
Bodhini' for women.
The news of Veeresalingam's activities spread to the different
parts of the country. ReIigious and social reformers like Iswar
Chandra Vidyasagar, Mahadev Govihda Ranade, N.G. Chandra-
varkar and Maharshi D.K. Karve highly appreciated the work of
Veeresalingam. His fame spread abroad. Miss Manning of United
Kingdom left £50 in her will for the Widow Home of Veertsalingam.
The Government in appreciation of his work conferred on him the
title of 'Rao Babadur' in 1893. Highest recognition from the pcopla
came when be presided over the Indian Social Reform Congess
held at Madras in 1898. I n this meeting Mahadev Govinda Ranade
acclaimsd VeereSalingam as 'Is war Chandr a Vidyasagar of the southp.
 'I'HE AWAKENING 0 8 ANDEIRA 73

Tn 1899, Voeresalingam was appointed as the first Telugu P a d i t

in the Presidency Cullegc, Madras. H e retired from the position in
1904 and returned to his native town Rajahmundry.
After his retirement he continued his work by establishing a Res-
cue Home (Vitanta SaranaIayam) for widows and an orphanage,
On 15 December 1905, he established Hitakarini Samajam to run tbe
institutions he had established. On 2 May 1908, he got the Sarnajam
registered and endowed it with all his property worth about Rs.
50,003.
His other activities included his fight against the 'nautch system'
and corruption among oficials, The keeping of concubines was
regarded as a status symbol. These concubines camehfrom a caste
called Devadasis. It was in their houses that all deals, official and
non-official, were made, To get oficial favours, concubines were
used At marriages dance programmes by Devadasis were a regular
feature. Veeresalingam attacked this system as it was breeding sex-
ual immorality.
His fight against corruption among rhe o5cIals of Rajahmundry
w a s a saga by itstlf. A District Mumiff committed suicide when
VeeresaIingam exposed his corruption.
Veeresalingam lost h i s wife on 11 August 1910. Her death was
a terrible blow to him, coming as it was on the wake of the death of
his close associate Desiraju Peda Bapajya in 1909. His enemies
tried to defame him by spreading wild rumours and involved him in
defamation cases. He came out of the cases unscathed, but lost the
zest for life. H e died on 27 May 1919 at Madras,
Growth of Journalism
The period 1858-1905 saw the rise of Telugu journalism. The
first Telugu journal Safj~adooiawas published by the Christian Asso-
ciation of Bellary. By 1905 as many as 20 journals were p u b b h d
in Telugu. Amongst them the most popular were Andhra Prakarika,
Snsil~kha,Krishna Patrikn, Vivekovardhini, Deshabhimmi and Rosikol-
Imlni, They boldly criticised the Government for its failure in
administration. They also helped the spread of new ideas of nation-
alism and democracy.
The spread of education and the rise of Telugu journalism
accelerated the pace of public life in the coastal districts, Many asso-
ciations wero formed far political and other purposes. On 16 May
1884, the Madras Mabajana Sabha was formed with P. Rangal&
Naidu as the President and P. Anandacbwulu as the Secretary,
Many delegat~sfrom the Telugu districts attended the first con-
ference of the Sabha. Among the literary associations, the Cocomda
Literary Association was the most promintnt. It took lively interest
in public affairs and submitted two memorandums to the Secre-
of State for India, praying that tbe llmtt of age B ~ e dfor the Civil
ServiceExamination may bc raised. When the Indran Mat~QnalCoa-
gress was formed in 1885 at Bombay, a number of delegatw from
Berhampur, Macbilipatnam, ~uddapah, Bellary and Anantapw
72 U3STORY OF MODERN AND=

I n- these
mM*gs to counter the arguments of V e e r e ~ a ~ i ~ g a m
public debates held at Rajahmundry and Kakinada, the opponents
of widow re-marriage could not prove their point. SOthey encour-
aged the rowdies to physically a ~ s a u lVccresaiingam
t but he was
saved by his students.
ln 1880, Veeresalingam with his two steadfast friends, Challa-
pal\i Bapayy& and Basavaraju Gavara Raju formed the Widow Re-
marriage Association. After creating. the necessary psychslogica1
background, Veeresalingam plunged Into action. 1-lesent his stu-
dents to different and remote places to find out persons who were
to marry widows. But the most difficult p a t was to find
parents who were prepared to get tbeir widow daughters re-married.
Veeresalingam came to know that a mother of a young widow was
mxious to get her daughter re-marricd. So he sent his students t o
the remote village where the yorog widow lived and with great d i 5 -
culty brought her safety to Rajahmundry. The name of the widow
was Sitamma. She was married to Gogulapati Ssiramulu on 11
December 1881 at Rajahmundry. Thus, the first widow remarriage
in Andbra from the higher castes was performed. The marriage
was performed in a tense atmosphere. The orthodox leaders of
R a j a b u n d r y tried their best to break up the marriage. The students
and the followers of Veeresalingam were equnUy determined t o see
that the marriage was performed. The police had guarded the entire
locality where the marriage took place. After failing in their attempt
to frusrrate the marriage, the orthodox leaders ex-communicated
3 1 families who took part in tho celebration.
The second widow re-marriage took place four days after the first.
On I 5 December 1881, Racharla Ramchandra Rao married a widow
named Batnamma. By 1892twenty widow re-marriages took place.
Inhis efforts, Veeresalingam was hancially supported by Pyda
Ramakrishnayya, a philanthropic merchant of Kakinada, who on
different occasions gave a total amount of Rs. 30,000. T o look
after the widows, who were not re-married, and disawned by tile
parents, Veeresalingam built a widow's home at Madras in 1897 and
at Rajahmundry in 1905.
In 1883 Veeresalingam started a monthly magazine calted 'Satihita
Bodhini' for won1en.
The news of Veeresalingarn's activities spread to tile differeat
parts of the country. Religious and social reformers like 1 s ~ ~
Cbndra Vidyasagar, Mahadev Govinda Rana&, N.G. Chandra-
varkar and Mahatshi D.K. Karve highly appreciated the work of
Veresalingam. His fame spread abroad. Miss Manning of united
Kingdom left f 50 in her will for the Widow ~o~~ of veeresaxngam.
The Government in appreciation OF his work coderred on hiIu the
title of ' R ~ oBabdur' in I893. H ~ g h recognition
~t from the
m e when he presided over the Indian Social Refotm c~~~~~~
held at Madras in 1B98. In thi$ meeting Mahadev Govinda
a c c l ~ ~Veereialingam
d as 'Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar ofthe south*.
 In 1899, Vceresalingam waq appointed as the fitst Telugu Pandit
in the Presidency College, Madras. Hc retired from the position in
I904 and returned to bis native town Rajahmundry.
After his retirement be continued his work by establishing a Res-
cue Home (Vitanta Saranalayam) for widows and an orphanage.
On 1 5 December 1905, he established Hitakarini Samajam to run the
institutions he had established. On 2 May 1908, he got the Samejam
registered and endowed it with all his property worth about Rs.
50.003.
His other activities included his fight against the 'nautch systemv
and corruption among officials. The keeping of concubines was
regarded 6s a status symbol. These concubines came-from a caste
'called Devadasis, It was in their houses that all deals, official and
non-official, were made. To get oficial favours, concubines were
used At marriages dance programmes by Devadasis were a regular
fearure. Veeresalingam attacked this system as it was breeding sex-
ual immorality.
His fight against corruption among the o5clnls of Rajahnundry
was a saga by itself. A District Munsiff committed suicide when
Veercsalingam exposed his corruption.
Veeresalingam lost his wife on 11 August 1910. Her death was
a terrible blow to him, coming as it was on the wake of the death of
his close associate Desiraju Peda Bapayya in 1909, His enemies
tried to defame him by spreading wild rumours and involved him in
defamation cases. He came out of the cases unscathed, but Jost the
zest for life. He died on 27 May 1919 at Madras.
Growth of Jowaalism
The period 1858-1905 saw the rise ofTelugu journalism. The
first Telugu journal Sotyadoora was published by the Christian Asso-
ciation of Bellary. By 1905 as many as 20 journals were published
in Telugu. Amongst them the most popular were Andfira Prakaika,
Sosilekha, Krishna Potriko, Viveknvardhirti,Desliubhimmi and h i k o l -
lasini. They boidly criticised the Government for its failure in
administration. They also helpcd the spread of new ideas of nation-
alism and democracy.
The spread of education and the rise of Telup journalism
accelerated the pace of public life in thc coastal districts. Many asso-
ciations wera formed for political and otber purposes. On 16 May
1884, the Madras Mahajana S a b h was formed with P. Rangaiah
Naidu as the President and P. AnandacWulu as the Secretary.
Maay delegates from the Telugu districts attended the Erst con-
ference of the Sabha. Among the literary associations, the Cocaaada
Literary Association was the most prominent. It took lively i n ~ s t
in public affairs and submitted two mcfufrandurns to the Secretary
of State for India, praying that the hmlt of age fixed for the Civrl
ServiceExamination may be raised. Whtn the Indtan NatioqaI Con-
t
gress was formed in 1885 at Bombay, a number d dele atss from
Berhampw, Machilipatm, Cuddapafi, Bellary and nantaPW
 14 H~STORYOF MODW ANDHRA

attended it. The prominent among them were P. Rangaiah Naidu,

P. Anandacharyulu and N. Subbarao Paniulu. Twenty-one delegates
from Andhra attended the Calcutta Session of the Congress in 1886.
P. Anandacharyulu presided aver the Nagpur Session of the Congress
in 1891. The other prominent Andbras who took part in the delibe-
ration of the. Congress were P. Rangaiah Naidu, A. C. Parthasaraibi
Naidu, the editor of Andhra Prakasika and Nyapati Subbarao of
Rajahrnundry .
~h~ formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 gave
impetus to the establifhment of various district as~~ciations.I*
1892, the K r i s b a District Association was formed. It was the first
of its kind not only in the Madras Presidency but probably also
hdia.l Ramaswamy Gupta, aa active member of the Indian Natio-
nal Congress q a n i s e d the Krishua District Conference at GuntuI
(which was then part of the Krishna district) in July 1892. The
Second Conference took place at Machilipatnam in June 1893.
1894 the ryots of Krishna held a conference at ELuru (which was
also then in Krishm district) to protest against the enhancement of
water rate and refused to cultivate their hnds unless water rates
were reduced. However, real politica! awakening in Andhra did not
emerge until 1905 when Vandernataram and Swadeshi Movement
shook the entire country.
Political awakening in Telengana was very slow when compared
to Andhra region. This is not surprising since Hyderabad Slate like
I most of the native States in India was an autocracy. I t paid little
attention to the welfare of the people. Moreover, the ruler bcing a
Muslim made Urdu the language of administration and medium of
instruction in educational institutions. The Government did not
allow even the private institutions to impart education in the langu-
age of the people. The people of the State did not have even the
elementary rights of citizenship. The condition of the agricultural
tenants was deplorable. The big landlords known as Maktedars
and Pattedars subjected their tenants to serfdom and slavery known
as 'baghela' and 'vetti chakiri' (Begari).
Naturally in that suffocating atmosphere Telugu language and
culture suflered very muck. At this critical juncture Kommaraju
Lakshamana Rao established at Hyderabad City 'Sri Krishnadeva-
reya Andhra Basba Nilayam' in 1901. It was the k s t Telugu
library in Telengana. The efforts of Lakshmana Rae bore fruit
to h m c i a l and moral support given by N. V e h t a Ranga b o , the
Rab of Munagala and Ravichattu Ranga Rao, a mansebbr of
HYderabad. The other Telugu libraries 'Sri Rajaraja Andhra Basha
Niayam' and 'Andhra Samvardhini G ~ ~ d h a lwere a ~ established
~ ~ '
in 1904 and $905 at Hanumakonda and &cunderabad respectively,
I
In 1906 L a k s h m Rao established 'Vignana Chan&ika Grandha
Mandali' at H y k r a U to publish popular lilupture in ~~l~~~ in
S C h c f i and Humanities. The Mandali had to shift its budquarters
Madras in 1908 as the Nizam's Government suspected it to be a
Bag.iaesdu, M.3 Andhfo SmW8vu.m~(Rajahramdry, I%J),p. 459-
 THE AWAKENING Of ANDBRA 75

treasonable organisation. Lakshmana Rao thus laid the founda-

tion f ~ the r cultural revival of Tekengana and also revived cultural
contacts between Andhra and Telengana regions.
The national movement in Lndia acquired a new vigour and
momentum with the opening of the twentieth century. Till 141)5, the
Congress confined its activities to submit petitions to the Government
praying for constitutional reforms. It wanted the abolition of the
Indian Council, expansion and reform of the Iegislntures at the Centre
and the provinces. holding simultaneous I.C.S.examination in Eog-
land and India, relaxation of the Arms Act, etc. The Congress leaders
who had full faith in British liberulism felt frustrated when the irres-
p ~ n s i v eBritish bureaucracy paid little heed to tlre prayers and peti-
tions of the Congress, A section of the educated community under
the leadership of Balgangadhar Tilak began to develop a new spirit
of opposition to the Government. Tilak stimulated national spirit
in Maharashtra by organising annual Ganesh festivals and by reviv-
ing the cult of Shivaji.
The spirit of unrest and discontent voiced by filak soon spread
to other parts of the country including Andhra. One cause that had
stimulated the Indian national cpirit was the resounding victory of
Japan over Russia. Lndians gained confideace that some day they
could become free. Tn Andhra, the victory of Japan created an inte-
rest in that country. Adipudi Somanatha Rao, a well-known social
reformer of the day wrote the history of Japan in Telugu and dedi-
cated it to the Raja OF Munagala. Shram Virabrahmam wrote a
drama in Telugu called 'Japaneeyamu'. The Raja of Munagala
named his sons "Togo' and 'Nogi' after the Japanese Commanders
of army and navy lespective1y.l
The most important event that gave a new dimension to our
national struggle was the partition of Bengal in 1905, on the ground
of administrative convenience, The real rcason was to break the
solidarity of the Bengali intelligentsia and to create a Hindu-Mudim
rift.
I n the original scheme for the partition of BengaI there was also
a proposal to unite Oriya-speaking areas under one administration.
This invojved the separation of the Ganjam disrria and the Agency
tracts of Ganjam and Visakhapatnanl districts from the Madras Pre-
sidency. Andhras opposed the partition of Bengal and also the pro-
posed separation of Ganjam district and the Agency tract of Ganhm
and Visakbapatnan~ districts from the Madras Presldenc~. The
Andbras were not opposed to the uni6cation of Oriya territories as
such, but onfy to the inclusion of the Telugu areasof the Ganjam
district h the proposed Orissa province. The Natjonal Congress
passed resdution in December 1903 opposing zhe pal tition of
BrngaI and the separation of Ganjam and other areas of the ,

Madras Presidency. Th!: Government of Madras also expressed its

1 opposition to the separation of Its northern districts. h p o m n t

1. K ~wars
p. 85.
[ ~Rae, Ayy&jevara, NU Jet-vliha, Andhrclmu. (Vijayawada),
76 HISTORY OF MOD- ANDW

newspapers like the The Hindu, The Madras Slnndard, Slvadesamifron

S/lan~ul-Akbar also voiced their 0ppo~itiofIto the separation
Gaajam and other 3reas. Sir Andrew Fraser, Lt. Governor o f
Bengal also opposed the transfer of Ganjam district and other areas
of Madras Presidency on the ground that the Telugus in those areas
formed a good petcentage of the population a n d the necessity of
administering to the interests of this large population would
rise to immense difficulties even under Bengal. Noticing the unl-
versa1 opposition to the transfer of Gmjam and other areas. the
Governnrent of India dropped the proposal with the following obser-
vation:
It is shown that the transfer would give rise to serious difficulties
in connection with linguistic and racial condition and the gee-
graphical confrontation of the tract in question, that it would
greatIy complicate and confuse its judiciai arrangements and that
it would place the administration of peculiar land revenue system
in the hands of officers who would have no acquaintance with
the principles on which it is based or with the language in which
the bulk of its records are and must continue to be main!ained.l
After the formation of the province of Bihar and Orissa, the
Origa leaders of Ganjam continued to agitate for the amalgamation
o f Ganjam and other areas of the Madras Presidency in the new
province. The Government of India stated in 1912 that the pro-
posed union was "unnecessary and undesirable." The Oriya leaders
approached Sir Arthur Lawley and Lords CarmichaeI and Pentland
and were informed that the qi~estionwould not bc re-opened. In
1920 Sachchidananda Sinha moved a resolution in the Central Legis-
lative Assembly in favour of the amalgamation of the Oriya tracts.
The Government of India promised an enquiry and the resolution
was not prcssed.2
The Vandemataram Movement in Andhra
With the partitioo of Bengal in 1905, the Freedom Struggle of
the country entered into a new stage. In Bengal under the dynamic
Ieadership of Surendranath Banerjee a strong movement was launch-
ed to pressurise the Government to amal the partition. Picketing
o f shops and the bonfire of foreign goods became the order of the
day. The moVeInent was popularly known as the Swadeshi Move-
ment. New leaders like Ralgangadhar Tjlak, Lala Lajpat Rai and
Bipin Cbandra Pal appeared on the national scene and placed be.
fort the people the idea1 of Swaraj or freeing the country from
foreign rule. The entire country reverberated with the cries of
Vandemdarm, the i ~ n l o r t a hl y of ~the motherland, composed by
the great Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. T~ the
Government it was like a red rag to the bull.
During the Years 1906-11 Andhra politics were shaped by the
hyl. of India, Census 1961, Distrlcf Cewu Hadbook, Disrricr,
ydernbad, 19661, pp.XXv.
1- E d ,
 Vandemataram Movement and its ideals. In 1906 in Madras an
Industrial Association was started by the leading citizens to pro-
pagate the ideal of Swadeshi and for the sale of Swadeshi articles.
A Swadeshi League was also started. It deputed Nyapathi Sub
barao and K. Venkataramaaa Rao, an advocate and a journalist to
tour A n d b to popularise Swadeshi. In Rurnc.lol subscriptions
were collected to send a student to Japan to learn glass making.
The arrest of Surendcanath Banerjec in 1906 while attending a
conference at Barisal in Bwgnl created great commotion in the
country. In several Andhra towns like Rajahmundry, Kakinada,
Vijayanagaram and Gooty protest meetings were held. It was that
meeting that made the slogan Vandemorarom-Monade Rojyarn and
the song Vandemataram popular in Andhra.
Bipin Chandra Pal's Tour in Andbra
The Vandemataram Movement received great impetus in Andhra
when Bipin Chdndra Pal toured Coastal Andhra in April 1907. The
tour was organised by Mutnuri Krishna Rao, the editor of Krislrna
Fatrika of Machilipatna~n Pal first visited Vijayanagaram and
V~sakhapatnam. But he did not muke any impact on the people of
these towns. He next visited Kakinada on the 17th and delivered
two lectures, the first on Vedanta and the second on Stvaraj He
spoke of Swaraj as the national ideal and boycott as the instrument
for achieving it.
Pal stayed in Rajahmundry from April 19 to 24 and delivered
five lectures. He received tremendous ovation at that place which
is the cultural centre of Aridhm. It was also politically very active.
The youth of the town in February 1907 founded an association
called Bala Bharathi San~itifor promoting the Swndeshi Movement.
Prominent men of the place like Ganti Lakshmaoa, Tnnguturi
Sriramull~ (brother of Andhro Kesari Tanguturi Prakasm), Kan-
chumarti Ramachandra Rao and Chilakuri Vcerabhadra RRO were
associated with it. The Karanam of Rajahrnundry, Gunneswara
Rao was also an nctive member of the Samiti, Pal besides delivcr-
ing lectures on Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott and the Brahma Samaj
opened the Godavari Swadeshi stores. Gunneswara Eao presented
him with Rs. 1,000 as a dooation for the opening of a national school
at Rajahrnundry which was to be affiliated to the Bengai Council of
Natinnal Education.
From Rajahmundry Pal visited Vijayawada where he was the
guest of the Raja of Munagala. There he addressed two nlecting*.
At the first he spoke on "Tredsnta and message of Freedom." At
the second he spoke on Swadeshi.
Pat proceeded to Mnchilipatnam from Vijayawada. There he
received an enthusrastic welcome and thousands of people attend4
his meetings, He spoke on Swadeshi-Boycott, National Educntion
and Swaraj. I n his Inst l ~ t u on
~ ethe "Matrumurtbi" he explained
the origin and tfle meaning of 'Vandemataram' and the esoteric
meaning of the worship of Kali and Durga. He concluded his speech
 '
witha stirring appeal for funds in aid of the ' A ~ d h r aNational
Educational Committee' formed at Rajahmundry for the Purpose of
establishing a national school and college to help the students expelled
from the Government College, Rajahmundry, for wearing Vande-
rnataram badges.
good things came out of Pal's visit. One was the formation
of 'Youngmen's Swaraj Samiti' and the second was the establish-
ment of a committee to set up a national school a t Machitipatnam.
In due course the Andhra Jateeya Kalasaala Was formed with
Kopatle Banurnantha Rao as Principal.1 After completing his
Andhra tour Pal left for Madras on May. His Andha tour Was
a grand success. He electrified the political atmosphere of entire
Coastal Andhra. Henceforth Rajahmundry and Machilipaham be-
came important mntres of the Swadeshi Movement in Andhra.
The Rajahmundry College lncident
The speeches of Pal made great impact on the students of Rajah-
mundry. They expressed their national feelings by wearing Vande-
mataram badges and greeting one another with the slogan Vandema-
/ taram. Mark Hunter, the Principal of the Arts and Training College
like other Englishmen of the time attached, much political significance
.
to Vandemataram. On 19th March 1907, 1.e about a month before
Pars arrival in Rajahmundry, be convened a meeting of the students
and forbade them from wearing Vandcmataram badges or shouting
the slogan Vandemataram.
One of the students of the Training College, Gadicherla Hari
Sarvothama Rao, presented an address to Pal on 24 April. Hunter
wanted to teach a lesson to the students for defying his orders. SO
I out of the total strength of 272 students of the colIege he debarred
1?8 from raking examinations for two years. The Governor-in-
Council approved the action of the Principal. Hari Sarvothama
Rao was debarred from employment as a teacher in any government
or aided school. Later he was debarred from employment in any
office under the Government. Hari Sarvothama Rao entered public
life and made a significant contribution to the library movement and
aduIt education. The Rajahmundry college incident marked the
beeinning of Andhra student participation on the Freedom struggle
of the country.
The Vandematatam Movement apart from quickening the poli-
tical awakening in Andhra also led to the establishment of national
educational institutions and Swadeshi stores. Many young men
went to for industrial training. Another off-shoot of the move-
ment was the establishment of secret terrorist societies in different
?'arts of the country. But in Andbra the terrorists did not make
much impact. Darsy Chenchaiah was the only one from ~ ~ d
who Joined the Gadhar party but he did not stay in it for long,
The VandeLQataram and Swadeshi Movement began to lose
their by 1910. From that year onwards the Moderates
1. The Hindu (Madrtrs), 11-5-1907.
were in ascendancy. Tilak, Pal and Aurabindo who had led the
extremist nationalist movement were no longer in the picture. Tilak
was imprisoned at Mandaly. Pal was also imprisoned. Aurobindo
settled down in Pondicllerry, and took.to spiritual life. In Andhra
also the political leadership came into the hands of Moderates like
Konda Venkatappaiah and B.N. Sarma.
 The birth of the Andhra
movement
The PsychologicaI Background
The Vandcmataram and Swadeshi Movements created among the
Andhras a lively interest in their language. literature and then Past
history. lo 1910,the Vignana Chandrika Mnndali published 'Andh-
rula Charitramu' (Midory of the Andhras). The work proved to be
very popular, Andhras realised that in the days gone by they were not
behind the other peoplc in India in the extent of their kingdoms,
their intellectual attainments or their civilisation.
While realising their past greatness Andhras became keenly aware
of their contemporary backwardness. Even though the Telugu dis-
tricts accounted for 40 per cent of the people and 58 per cent of the
Madras Presidency, Andhra had no effective voice in the politics of
the region. The realisatian of their backwardness became all the
more galling when they had to hear the taunting remarks of the
Tamils. A Tamilian on his way to Madras from a Andhra town
remarked to afellow Andhra passenger that "the Telugus are a
backward race, they have no brains, and they have never had men
like our Bhasyam Aiyeagar or Muthuswamy Aiyer."l This created
an interest among the Telugus to know their real position in the
civil ~ervicesof the Presidency.
During the second half of April 1911 a correspondent contributed
a series of six articles to The Hindu on "the present position of the
Telugu people." In those articles he pointed out with the help of
facts and figures that the Telugus are a backward people since the
proportion of appointments held by them in the civil services of the
Madras Presidency was very low. In the cadre of Presidency appoint-
ments there were only 8 Telugus as compared to 56 non-Telugus. In
the Judiciary there was not even a single Andhra holding the posi-
tion af a district judge even though there were as many as 19 notl-
Tclugu district judges.2 The correspondent also pointed out that the
educational institutions in Aodhra towns like Bapatla, Machiljpat-
nam, Narasapuram, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam and Parlskimcdi
1. Quoted in "Arc the Telugus a backaa~d peopke?" The Hifid,, (Madras).
15 AprIl. 1911.
2. Ibld.
 TFIBBIRTH OF THE ANDHRA YOVE~~ENT 81

were beaded by the non-Telugus. Ha blamed the Andhra leaders

for this sorry state of affairs. Though he did not openly advocate
the creation of a separate Andhrn province. it was clear from his
article that Andhras should hope to better their position only in a
separate province of their own.
Just two months before the publication of these articles DeJha-
bhimrrni an Anglo-Telugu weekly of Guntur in a big editorial of
three columns strongly urged a separate political conference of the
Andhras in order to create solidarity among the Telugu people and to
discuss their special wants.] The editorial in the Deshobhimani and
articles in The Hindu created a great stir among the Andhras. They
became apprehensive of their future in the Madras Presidency. BY
the end of 191 1 t h e advocates of a separate Andhra province became
numerous. In December 191 l a correspondent wrote to the Desh-
ab/rimarri that:
The Telugu talent is fast dying out. It is the duty of the
governmcut to see that i~ does not become extinct ere long. It
can be nurtured only when the Telugu people are placed under a
Separate g~vernment.~
Within a week of the publication of this letter another correspon-
d m , C. Seshagiri Rao made a forceful plea for the creation of a
separate Andhra province. In a series of articles to Deshabhinlani
he pointed out thc importance of language in the development of
a race:
Language is tbc vehicle of thought. A common language
heIps the free flow of fdeas among men and unites them in a
common bond of love and attachment. The gruwth ofgood
literature in a language is simultaneous aith the progress of the
people speaking the language. But everything depends upon the
environment, which is able to stimulate its g r o w ~ h . ~
So far as the Andhras were concerned bc felt that the cnviron-
m e l t was not conducive for their development since "Madras, the
Capital of the Presidency, of wbich our Andhra counlry forms a part
is situated outside the skira or the Telugu country." Further tho
Andbras laboured under a double disadvantage. The British ~ f i e r s
who ruled over them had very little knowledge of Teugu. Their
subordiaatcs mostly non-Telugus had very little acqua~ntancewith
the Telugu language or the pcopic, As such the grievances of the
Telugus were not brought to the n o t m of the Gove~-~ment.~ He Celt
that:
The Andbras cannot become a great race unless they are
given opportunities which stimfllates growth. SO long as tho
Andhras are only one among many in the southern ~ r e s t d c n q
they oannot progress. They must have an individual cxisteom

.-.-,--.--..
eshagiri Rao to Derhabhfmoni. 26 Dee.
82 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

and must make their existence felt by others. Tf they are to be as

progressive as either Bengalies or Maharattas they must be given
the same opporrunities to develop. ... The most essential thing
is to have a separate province for the Tefugus and Iocate the
capital in the Centre of the relugu districts-I
He concluded his Ietters with the hope that the Telugu journals
would take up the question in right earnest and give out their
opinion of the matter. He also pleaded that the Conference of
Krishna and Guntur Districts should discuss the question and pass
a resolution to that e f f e ~ t . ~
His letters bad the desired effect. Important Tclugu newspapers
like the And/!ru Pntrika of Bombay and thc Krislrna Patrika of
Machilipatnam supported the demand and the movement for Andhra
province gained Fresh strength in 1912. Desfiabhimani felt that mere
desire would not result in the formation of n separate province. 1t
suggested ways and means of achieving it:
It must be expressed in a way as to make the rulers feel the
justice of our cause. Agitations must be stacted all over the land.
Meetings must be held. Conferences must discuss the queSt\On
in right earnest and an influential deputation consisting of repre-
sentatives of the Andhra Community must wait upon the Govern-
ment. We urge our District Association to pass a resolution
about this necessary step and place the same for the consideration
of the ensuing Krishna-Guntur Conference We hope that the
Telugu papers will not play the Rip Van Winkle and that they
busy themselves less with the Imperial and World-wide politics
than the immediate interest affecting the well being of the
Andhra country. The Telugu papers are generally reticent about
the question, tither because they are not fully alive to a sensqof
their duty or though conscious they join with Hamlet in sayrug
"To act or not to act, thiit is the question."
In this respect we have to learn a lesson from our Biharee
brethren. With remarkable energy and enthusiasm they nre
urging both in press and ptatform with a characteristic vehemence.
for having for their province a separate High Court, separate
University, etc. May our Andhra brethren shake off their letbar-
EY and aspire for a rightfuI place in the onward march of
India.9
As a result of the wide discussion in the press the subject of the
formation of a separate Andhra province came up for consideration,
for the first time, at the joint conference o f Godavari, Krisllna and
Guntur districts held at Nidadavolu in May 1912 under the presi-
d e n q of V. Ramadas. The resolution of the subject was ruled ant
o f order by the President. ChNarasimha Rao, one of the dele ate5
to the conference felt that a subject of importmce to all Anthras
should not be discussed at a sectional conference. He felt that an
1. /bid .28 December, 191 1.
Z fbld. 30 December, 191I .
3. D c F h a M ~ f ~24
l , February, 1912.
 T H E BRTH OF TRB ANDHRA MOVBMENT 83

Andhra Conference representative of df the Telugu districts of the

Madras Presidency should be convened. His suggestion was~accepted
by many delegates including Konda Venkatappaiah, who afterwards
became the General Secretary of the Indian National Congress.
After his return to Guntur, Konda Venkatappajah discussed the
subject with other important lorn1 leaders like V. Bhavanacharyulu,
U. Lakshmi Narayana, C. Seshagiri Rao and I. Gurunatbm. They
decided to convene an All India Conference o f the Andhras. A
standing committee with Konda Venkatappaiah as Secretary was
formed to take the required steps in that direction. The Commltree
decided to hold the first Andhra Conference a t Baparla in May
1913.
Soon after the conference a Iively discussion took place in the
Press both English and Telugu regarding the need or otherwise of a
separate province. This helped to crystallize public opinion on
the subject. A correspondent to the Krislino Patrika felt that the time
had not arrived to launch a n agitation for the separate Andhra pr*
vinco as there wan mutual ill-feeling between TeIugu and Tamil
officials. He was afraid that the agitation for a separate Andhra
Province would intensify the iil-fcellings. He therefore, cautioned
)he Andhras who were not united, to provoke the Tamils who were
In power. This argument was countered by another correspondent
who said that if the Tamils become envious at the attempts ofthe
Telugus to improve their position it would only show their meanness.
I f the Tamils did mischief to the Andhras without provocation, the
Government would certainly take serious notica of it.l
The Desomofho a Telugu jourl~aldis~ussedthe question whether
Andhra could be constituted a separate province and answered in the
affirmative. It felt that Andhra tnay not gat a separate province at
once, but wanted that thcy should persevere in their attempts for
there was nothing impossible for the perservering people."
The growing demand of the Andhras for a separate province or
their own produced varied reactions among the Tamils. The Hindu
did not support the movement as "there are already too many walk
of separation forbidcling unification among the Indian people^..."^
Some Tamils tried to "vulgnrise the Andhrs Novement by equating
I t t o a desire for posts," A Tamil correspondent to The
askea:
Where will this Andhra province obtain its high o5cials
from? Where will it get i t s High Court Judgcs and Executive
Councillors from if they are to have a provirrce today? If they
could get them from the existing material, will it be of the quality
that now occupies those places? It will be far better for the
Andhras to so improve themselves as to contribute Judgts and
Councillors to a l a r ~ eprovince like Madras, than to haw: a 8ml
province of their own.4
'- ) , June, 1912.
&hno ~ o t r j k ; ~ a c h i l i ~ a t n a m21
2* D ~ o m o t h o9. October. 1912
3- QWted by 'A Non-Eniity' in his letter to The Hindu, 24 August, 1912.
4. Latter of 'Viswunitra' to The H a ,29 August. 1912.
84 HISIORY OP MODERN ANDHRA

Even among the Andhras there were some who did not cherish
the prospect of having a province of their own. N,Subba Rao, who
also afterwards b w m e the General Secretary of the Indian National
Congress, apposed the demand as he felt that the proposed Andhra
province would be a smaIl one headed by a Chief-Commissioner.
He declared:
I for one would not care to have the new province under a
Chief Commissioner and I should prefer to be under thc present
form of Government with Governor in Council.1
He further felt that the creation of the Andhra province would
lead to similar demands by other linguistic groups.
Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya countered thc arguments of Subba
Rao and declared:
I for ane would prefer to be under a Chief Commissioner
like Sir Henry Cotton, Lieut. Governors like Sir John Hewett,
Sir Anthony MacDowel1 or Sir James Meston, as against a Gover-
nor like Lord Landhurst or Sir Arthur Lawley 2
He also welcomed the creation of provinces for other linguistic
groups. He felt that "the future map of India will indeed have to
be recast iia a measure which may very soon confound us and the
geography we have learnt.8"
The Joint Secretaries of the Standing Committee issued a ciroular
in September 1912 listing the subjects that might be considered at
the Andlira Conference. The Circular contained non-contr~vcrsial
subkc& like the starting of an English daily to promotc: the interest
of the Andhras establishment of a separate u~liversityfor the Andhra
dtstrrcts, representations to the Government to lift the ban on the
enlistment of the Telugus in the army, etc. The circular did not
make any reference to the creation of a separate Andhra province.
The Bapatla Conference, 1913
The first Andhra Conference met at Bapatla on 26 May 1913
under the presidentship o f B-N. Sarma, then a member of the Legis-
lative Council of Madras, About 2.000 visitors and 800 delegates
from the T e l u g ~districts
~ of the Madras Presidency attended the
Conference.4 Delegates from Hyderabad, Warangal and Nagpur
were also present. Tn his president~aladdress, Sarma examined the
question of the formation of a separate Andhra province and felt
that at least for the time being the agitation might d o more harm
than good.
There was a heated discussion on the question of the formation
of the sepsrata Andhra province both in the subject committee and
the open conference. At the open session, V. Ramadas proposed a
resolution demanding thc formation of the separate Andhra province.
This waa opposed by stalwarts like N. Subba Rao, M. Adinarayan-
aiah and M. Ramchandra Rao. They felt that the demand for
1. Lettat of N.Subba Rao to The Hindu. 4 February, 1913.
2. Letter of Dr B. Patlabhi Sitararnayya to TIie Hindu. 26 February, 1913.
3. Ibld.
4. ~h ma^, 28 MY, 1913.
 THE BIRTH OF THE ANDHRA MOVEMENT 8s
separate Andhra wns premature. After a heated discussion lasting
for about three hours, the resolution was amended to the effect tbat
the subject might be taken up for consideration at the next confer-
ence. 'The amended resolution disappointed many delegates from
Krishna and Guntur districts who were carrying on a relentless pro-
paganda for the separate province for two years.
The conference revealed that the delegates from Rayalaseema
(western districts) and northern districts of Ganjam and Visakha-
Patnam were not so keen on the formation of a separate province.
So a comrnittce consisting of Konda Venkatappaiah, Dr. Pattabhi
Sitarnmayya, M. Krishna Rao, Editor, Krishna Pulriku and V. Surya-
narayana Rao toured Rayalaseema and addressed public meetings at
Nandyal, Gooty, Annntapur, Bellary, Chittoor, Cuddapah and
Nellore. They gained the impression that the people of the region
were favourably inclined towards the formation of a separate pro-
vince. Only the Tamil speaking Iawycrs of Chittoor were against it
as they did not likc to cut off their connections with Madras city.
Kondn Venkatappaiah toured tbe northern districts and addressed
public meetings at Berhampur, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and
Rajahrnundry.
After the &st Andhra Conference at Bapatla the subject of the
formation of the separate Andhra province came for consideration
at several district conferenc~s. At the district conference of Visakha-
paham, the President, M. Suryanarayana of Vijayauagaram spoke
in favour of it. But Gade Raghava Rao of Berhampur who presided
over the Ncllore district conference advocated a more cautious
policy. The reason for this is obvious, Raghava, Rao was anxious
about the futnre of his native town Berhampur In case a separate
Andhra province became an accomplished fact. Here it may be
stated that even before the formation of Andhra province Berhampur
was detached Dom the Madras Presidency and included in Orissa
when it was made a separate province in 1936 on the g r o ~ that d
South Orissa lacked a suitable headquarters town, even though the
town had a Telugu majority.
The second Andhra Conference (hereafter it came to be knom
as Andhra Maha Sabha) took place at Vijayawada on 11 April 1914.
under the presidentship of N. Subba Rao. The pmidential addrean
caused much disappointment and dissatisfaction among the delegates
but M. Suryanclrayana moved a resolution on the need to constl-
tute the Telugu speaking areas of t&o Madras Presidency into a
separate povince. V. Ramadas supported the resolution and it was
Passed by an overwhelming majority.
m ~ a 1914,
y the Visakhagatoam district conference w - h t l d
Under the presidentship of B. Venkatapathi Raju. Rsju his
address observed:
I am glad to notice that at thc Andhra Cooftrenoe almost all
leading gentlemen have agreed that the ory for a seprate Pro-
=
vince is desirable and it ought to be taken UP an deal to be
86 HISTORY OF MODEHN AN D m

attained. When once it is admitted that it is an ideal, postpone-

ment of agitation for attaining the same is foo1ish.l
The Guntur district conference which was held in June 1914 pas-
sed a similar resolution demanding the creation of separate Andllra
province. By the end of 1914 public opinion in Andhra was over-
whelmingly in Favour of the separate province.
The Third S w i o n of Andhra Mahasabha
The Third Conference which met at Visakhapatnam in May 1915
under the Presidentship of Raja Panuganti Ramarayaningar, not
only reiterated the demand for separate Andhra, but also demanded
that the mother-tongue be made the medium of instruction in second-
ary schools. The Tamil daily of Madras Swadesamifron welcomed
the resolution on the medium of instruction in secondary schools.
The Andhra Mnhasabha conferences popularised the habit of addres-
sing public meetings in Teltrgu. The Fourth Conference of the
Andhra Mahasabha was held at Kakinada i n May 1916 with Mocher-
la Ramachandra Rao as President. Ramachandra Rao, like
Nyapati Subba Rao was not an ardent supporter of separate Andhra
province, Wben C.V.Narasimha Raju of Visakbapatnam moved a
resolution that "it is necessary and reasonable to constitute all the
Tclugu districts into a separate province with powers and complete
autonomy" there was an amendment that the Government should be
asked to create a separate province as early as possible after the war.
The amendment was accepted.= A.S. Krisbna Rao of Nellore and
Nemali Pattabhi Rama Rao of Cuddapah opposed the original
resolution while Gade Raghava Rao of Berhampur who three years
ago as the President of Nellore District Collference opposed the for-
mation of the separate Andhra province, now supported the resolu-
tion in favour of the province, The delegate from Anantapur, A.
Sankara Rao also supported the resolution.
The Fifth Session of the Andbra Mahasabba was held at Nellore
on 1 June, 1917 with Kanda Veukatappaiah as President. The ses-
sion proved to be stbrmy and brought to light the diBerences be-
tween the Circars and Rayalaseema. From the beginning of the
Andhra Movement the people of Nellore and Rayalaseema were
lukewarm in their support for a separate province. The pcaple of
Nellore because of their proximity to Madras city did not like to
sever their connections with the metropolis *hich they felt
remain outside ihe territorial limits of Rayalaseema the
Jeadcrship was in the hands of Tamils domiciled in aleas like Keeava
PiUai of Gooty .(Anantapur district) and Ekambara Aiyer of Nand.
Y ~ J (Kmnool District). They did not like the creation of separate
Andhra province as it would affect the domination of the Tamils in
Telugu districts. me Telugu leaders of Rayalasema like Harigar-
"othama Rae of Kurnool supported the creation of separate Andbra
province.
1. Tha Madraa MhII (Madras). I9 May 1914.
2. The Hindu, (Madras), 11 May, 1916,
 THE BIRTH OF TBE ANDBRA MOVeMENT 87

In the Fifth Conference the opponents orseparate Andbra were

determined to defeat the resolution on the Andhra province. Of the
740 delegates more than 480 belonged to Nello~e district.1 Fearing
that the resolution would be defeated by the sheer numbers of one
district Harisarvothama Rao proposed that voting should be disuict
wise, one vote being given to each district. The proposition was
carried out as by the time of voting a large number of fresh delegates
from the Cjrcars joined the conference. The opponents of a separate
province felt frustrated and met separately at the town hall and
passed a resolution that a separate province would be desirable only
1f Madras city was included in it. B.N.Sarma and other leaders
succeeded in removing the misunderstanding of the dissidents and
they participated in the next day's session. The resolution request-
ing the Government to create a separate Andhra province was passed
even though some proniinent Nellore Ieaders like A.S. Krishna Rao
voted against it. The amendnlent of the dissidents for the inclusion
of Madras city in the Andhrn province as its capital was rejected.
But the Circar leaders realised that the support of Rayalaseema for
the separate Andhra province could not be taken Tor granted, and
that there was bn urgent need to remove the fears and misunder-
standings of the people of that area.
From 1916 onwards issues of national importance like a united
Congress. co-operation between the Congress and Muslim League
and the demand for Home Rule came tu i l ~ erorcfront. The
Andhra leaders divertcd their attention to those issues aud demand
for a separate Andhra province receded into the background.
Formation of separate Andhre Congress Circle
Ever since the formation of the Indian National Congress in
1885 Andhra Corlgress leaders began to take active part in its deli-
berations. P. Anandacharyulu became the President of the Congress
as early as 1891. Nyapati Subba Rao acted as the General Secre-
tary ror some years. Other Andhra leaders who used to take lively
interest in Congress deliberations were V.V. Jogaiah, Gade Raghava
Rao and A.P. Patro of Berhampur, B.N.Sarma of Visakhapatnam,
Nyapati Subba Rao of Rajahmundry, Mocherla Ramchandra Rao
and K.V. Reddi Nayudu of EIuru, A.S. Krishna Rao of Nellorc,
Kesava PilIai of Gooty and A.C. ~artbasarathiNaidu of Madras.
When the Congress session was held at Madras in 1914 as many
as 256 delegates from Andhra attended it. But no Andhra could
find a place in the working committee. Moreover tbere was strong
opposition From the Tamils to the discussion of \he Andhra provinco
question in the session. This convinced the Andfiras of the need to
reduce the influence of the Tamils in Andbra affaus. One N. Ekarn-
bars Aiyer of Nandyal carried on the p r o p a g d a that the question
of the formation of Andhra province should not be left for the deci-
sion of the Andhra alone, but it should be taken up for c o n s ~ d ~
a i o n at the Madras Provincial Conference to be held at Nellore m
1. TIM H I ~ U (Madras),
, 2 June, 1917.
88

MZY
HISTORY OF MODERN ANDBRA

1915, The Provincial Conference however did not take up the

subject into its consideration.
The activities ofthe Tamils convinced the Andhra leaders of the
urgent need to establish a separate Telugu unit o r circle of Congress
1
\

so as to give the Telugus freedom of action in their affairs. The

Andhra leaders began to demand the creation of an Andhra circle
with the Telugu districts of Madras Presidency. They cited the
instances of provinces like Bihar and Orissa which had more than
one Congress circle.
The h d h r a leaders intensified their efforts for securing a sepa-
rate Congress circle, since they felt that in course of time the new
Telugu Congress could be used as a means to achieve a separate
Andhra province. The fourth session of the Andhra Mahasabha
resolved to bring the matter before the All India Congress Commit-
tee. The Congress workers of Sindh also wanted a separate circle.
So the A.I.C.C. at its meeting held a t Lucknow on 30 December
1916 referred the question of creating a separate circle for Andhra
and Sindh to the Provincial Congress Committee of Madras and
Bombay resptctively. Tbe Madras Provincial Congress Committee
which was not favourably inclined towards Andhra delayed giving
its opinion. Meanwhile other developments took place which
hastened the formation of the Andhra Congresrr Circle. A pamphlet
called 'Re-organisation of Indian Provinces' was widely distributed
among the Congressmen all over India. The authors of the pam-
phlet, Konda Venkatappaiah and Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya
stated the Andhra case clearly and convincingly, The Home Rule
League which became very popular in 1916 also advocated the for-
mation of Linguistic provinces. In spite of this Mrs.Besant opposed
the proposals of the Andhras a t the Congress session of 1916. The
subjtct provoked heated discussions in the subject's committee.
Mahatma Gandhi felt tbat the question might be taken after the
implementation of Reforms. Tamil leaders also strongly supported
the issue as they felt that linguistic provinces were essential for the
successful working of democracy in India. Dr. Pattabhi also made a
convincing case for a separate Andhra circle with the eleven Telugu
districts of the Madras Presidency. On 22 January 19 L8 the new
Andhra Congress Circle came into existence with Nyapati Subba
Rao as President and Konda Venkatappaiah as Secretary. This was
the &ratvictory for the sponsors of the Andhra Movenrent,
' h e Home Rule Movement
For nine years after the Surat split, the Congress was dominated
by the Moderates who were content with the Morley-Minto ~ ~ f
But within a short time Ihe Reforms of 1909 proved 10 be uosatis-
factory in their actual working. The power of the autocracy con-
tinued unabated behind the enlarged Legislative Councils. ~h~
d a ~ ~inherent
r s in the separate electorates g r a n d to the ~ ~ ~
also bccamc evident. But when the First World War broke
1914 the Indians rallied round the British and never tried to create
an OPportUJIity out of England's d i f i c d ~ .
 T'& B1Rm OF THE ANDHRA MOVEMENT .gg
In the years between the death of GopalaIcrishna Gokbale in
1915 and the rise of Gandhiji to power in 1920 two associations
bearing the same name-The Home Rule League were founded for
intensifying the National Movement. These were the two Home
Rule Leagues founded in 1916, one by Mrs. Annie Besant and the
other by Trlak.
Tilak who was releascd from prison in 1914 was not his fonner ,
self. He was content with the Home Rule instead of complete
Swaraj. On 28 April 1916 he established the Home Rule League
and defined its objective as "attaining self-government within the
British Empire by ~ l constitutional
l means and to educate and
Organize publb opinion ia :ha country tnwards the attainment of Lhc
same,"1
Simultaneously with Tilak, Annie Besant, an Irish lady and the
President of the Theosophical Society which had its headquar-
ters at Adyar (Madras) formed another Home Rule League in Mad-
ras in September 1916. Both the leaders tried to bring about Con-
gress unity and their efforts bore fruit in December 1916, when
Tilak and the extremists joined the Congress. The year 1916 also
witnascd the complete co-operation between the Congress and the
Muslim League.
Besant decided to launch a Home Rule Movement as she felt
that agitation was "the only way of getting rid of the abysmal
ignorance in England of Indian Affairs." In order to educate the
public on all matters cotlnected with Home Rule, she started an
English weekly Con~mon Weal at Madrasin January 1914. July
of the same year she acquired the English daily the Madras Stcmdard
and renamed it New India. With the help of these two papers
she tried to popularise the Doctrine of Self-govermtnt.
The Home Rule Movement of Besant became very popular in
Madras city and to some extent in Andhra also. To popularise the
movement in the Telugu districts a separate branch of the League
was formed with Gadicberla Harisarvotbama Rao as Secretary.
The branches of the League were established in many impartant
towns Iike Guntur, Vijayawada, Machilipatnam and Kakinada.
Many prominent Andhra leaders like Konda Venkatappaiah, Pat-
tabhi Sitaramayya, K. Nageswar~Rao, and K.V.Reddy Naidu joined
the league. Harisarvothama Reo issued many pamphlets like the
ideal of Home Rule explaining the various aspects of the move-
ment.
Afier the Lucknow session of the Congress, Besant undertook a
tour of Andhra and addressed meetings at Kakimda, Rajahmondry
and Eluru. Mocherla Rarnachandra Rao and otber moderate lmdors
of Eluru took a leading part in making Besant's tour of Andhra a
Sumess. Home Rule became a central topic of discussion at variaurr
District Conferences. Resolutions in favour of Home Rule were
passed at the District Conferences of Ganjam, V i s h ~ t n a m ,
1. Jog, &kmmyo &I ~angrrdharTllak omba bay), p. 143.
90 HlSMRY OF MODERN ANDHRA \
Godavari, Krishna and Guntur. The subject came up for discus-
sion at the Fifth Conference of the Andhra Mahasabha at Nellore.
Venkatappaiah in his presidential address besides empha-
sising the need for the early formation of Andhra province, stressed
the importance of self-government. By tbe middle of 19 17 there were
as many a s Sfty-two branches of the Home Rule League in Andhra.
an auxiliary to the Home Rule Movement, Besant started a
National Educational Scheme. Madanapalle in Chittoor District
became an important centre of her educational activity. At that
place she established the National College (the present Bcsant
Theosophical College) in May 1916 with J. H. Cousins, an Irish
journalist, as Principal.
To curb the growing popularity of the Home Rule Movement,
the Madras Government unleashed repression. It issued a circular
prohibiting the students from attending political meetings. Besant
was externed from Bombay, the Central Provinces and Bihar, but she
continued her attack on the Government and championed Home
Rule in New It~dio.On 16 June 1917 the Madras Government issued
an order forbidding Besant and two of her colleagues in the Home
Rule, B. P. Wadia (Assistant Editor of New India) and George
S. Arundale from participating in politics and interned them at
Ooty.
The arrest of Besant and her colleagues infuriated the public of
India. Meetings were held all over the country condemning the
actions of the Government. The Home RuIe agitation was intensified
especially in the Krishnn and Chittoor districts. At Machilipatnam,
the staff of the Andhra Jatiya Knlasala worked enthusiastically for
it. At Madanapalle the staff of the National College conducted
'National' classes to educate the public an self-government. The
Telugu press especially Deshabhimani and Deslramatlta protested
strongly against the internment. In the city of Madras a new body
called "The indignant group of the Home Rule League" was formed.
The members of that body wore a Besant-pendant as a badge and
took a pledge to make any sacrifice for the country.
The Gavernment, wbiIe continuing the policy of repression,
tried to weaken the movement, by following the policy of "Divide
and Rule'. It encouraged the non-brahmins to dissociate themselves
from the movement.
The All India Congress Committee and the Council of Muslim
League worked out a plan for securlng the release of Besant and
her colleagues by launchidg "Passive Resistancew which had been
~ Y by Gandbiji in Champaran to remove the grievances
S U C M S S ~ U ~tried
of the indigo cultivators. The activities of the Horne Rule League
had adversely affected the collection of war firnds by the Government.
This development as well as the threat of 'Passive Resistance' con-
vinced the Government that it was not cxpedjent to continue B ~ ~
inkmment. Moreover tbe Secretary of States for India E.S, ~ ~ ~
gu felt that internJIkXIt of Besant was inconsistent wjth the new
policy he announced on 20 August 1917 in the Houge of ~ m m O L I s .
THE BIRTH OF THE ANDHRA MOVEMENT 91
So Bcsant and her coll~agueswere released on 17 September 1917.
With this the Home Rule Movement practically came to an end.
Montagu's Announccmcnt o f 20 August 1917
The growing political discontent in India convinced the Govern-
ment circles in Britain that the time had come to appease the public
opinion in lndia by aanouncing reforms. This become all the more
necessary in view of the great sacrifices made by India in men and
material to the cause of Britain in the Great War. Montagu felt that
the Government of lndia was '-too wooden, too iron, too inelastic,
too anti-diluvian to be of any use for the modern purposes." So
when he became Secretary of State for India he announced a cbange
of policy in his famous declaration of 20 August 1917, lo the House
of Commons he stated that:
The policy oE His Majesty's Government, with which the
Government of India are in complete accord, is that of increas-
ing association of Indians in every branch of the ndministration
and the gradual development of self-governing institutions with a
view to the progressive realisation of responsibte governmeor in
India a s a n integral part of the British Empire. They have
decided that substantial steps in this direction should be taken as
soon as possible, and that it is o f the highest importance, as a
preliminary to considering what tbese steps should ba that there
should be a free and informal exchange oi opinion between those
in authority at Home and in India. His Majesty's Government
have accordingly decided, with His Majesty's approval. that I
should accept the Viceroy's invitation to proceed to Jndia to
&cuss tllese matters with the Viceroy, the views of local govern-
ments, and to receive with him the suggestions of representative
bodies and othershl
Montagu's declaration roused new hopes in the minds of the
Andhras. They felt that the time had come to work unitedly to
achieve their aspiration for the separate Andhra province. By the
close of I917 the opinion in all Telugu districts crystallised in favour
of the Andhra province.
In view of the impending constitutional reforms In Jndia a special
session of the Andhra Mahasabha was held at Vijaynwada with
Ayyadevara Kafeswara Rao as the Chairman of the Remption Corn-
~llittee and C. V. S , Narasimha Raju as President. More than
1,200 delegates attended the conference. All the delegates were
unanimous for the need for the early formation of Andhra province.
Even N. Subbha Rao was in favour ot' n separate province. He
urged the Mahasabha to send a deputation to Montagu on his
vicit to Madras to impress upon him the need for the early formation
of Andhra province.
By another resolution the Mahasabha demanded reservatipn of
seats to non-brahmjns in the Madras Legrslative Council. Thls was
done to remove the suspicions entertaned by many non-brahm~ns
1. Mootford Report, para 6.
92 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

that Home Rule would benefit only thc brahmins. In this connec-
tion it may be stated that following Montagu's announcement, the
Government of Madras encouraged the n o n - b r a h m ' i to stage more
demonstrations against the Home R u ~ c . AS a result the rerations
between brahmins and nun-brahmids. in Andhra which were hither-
to harmonious became somewhat strained.
Subsequent to the Andhra Mahasabha Conference the non-
brahmins who favoured Home Rule met at Vijayawada under
the Presidentship of Ponaka Pattabh~tamaReddy of Nellore district
and passed which were identical with those passed at the
special session of the Addhra Mahasabha. Tripuraneni Ramaswamy
Choudbary, Kesava Pillai, Ranganatba Mudaliar and other non-
bmhmjn leadus took part in the proceedings.
Depotation to Montegu
In his declaration of 20 August 1917, Montagu made it clear
that one purpose of his visit ta India was to receive the suggestions
of the representative bodies and others regarding constitutional
reforms in India. But the Government of Madras declined permis-
sion to the Andhra Mahasabha, and the District Association of
Godavati and Krisbna to wait in deputation on Montagu. This
infuriated the Andhra public and they sent a large number of teIe-
grams to Montagu protesting the action of the Madras Government.
Ultimatcty the Government yielded and on 20 December 1917 a
twenty-seven member Andhra delegation under the Ieadership of
Nyapati Subba Rao met the Secretary of State and the Viceroy.1
It rtquested the Secretary of State to concede the Andhra demand
for the immediate formation of Andhra province with the Tclugu
districts of the Madras Presidency. Montagu promised to give due
consideration to the Andhra demand.
The year 1917 closed with the annual session of the Congress at
Calcutta with Annie Besant as President. It was in this session that
the Andhta demand for a separate Congress circle was conceded.
B N. Sama'a Resolotion
On 6 February 1918, B. N. Sarma moved a jesolution in the
Imperial Legislature Council recommending
to tho Governor-General in Council (a) redistribution of
provincial areas and the constitution of the provinces where
oecessav to secure complete Success for self-governing institutions
in British India; (b) the rearrangement of provincial areas on a
1. Tho twenty-seven members were:
(1) N Y ~ P R ~Rae,
Subba ~ (2) Mffiherla Ramachandra Rae, (3) K.R.V. ~ ~ j
Bao, (4) B.N.Sarm, (5) A Suryanarayana Rao, (6) Konda Venketappaiah,
(7) Kaslnathuni Nagoswara Rao (8) Ko alle Hmumantha an,,, (9 B ~ ~ ~
raju Pattabhi Sitarnrnay~a. (ioj CYS. 8arasimh. Raiu, (1 1) GaJecherla
Warisarvofhama Rao. (12) M. Wmar Ati Shah, (13) ~~~h~~~ ho
114) Ch-Lateha (15) Ntmalt Paltabhi Rama Rae, (1 6) CJ,. sdayya,
17) Orugan'i V * t a m g a ~ ~ a , (18) P. Chmcbayya, (19 Y, Pitchyya,
(20 H.Sankara Rae, (21) N.Vookatr S ~ b b i a h ,(12) S.J- p)arasimha
( 2 4 ponak Pattabhuama IcPdy. (24)C. B b a s h n ~ ( c d d ~ (, ~ pa1
U ~ (26)Y B. , Ramaana, (27) Appayya.
 language basis wherever and to the extent possible, especially
where the people speaking a distinct language, and sufficiently
large in numbers desire such a change.
The rcsoIution was not well received. The members from Madras
like K. V. Rangaswami Ayyangar supported it. But it did not
receive the support of even non-o5cial members like M. A. Jinnah
and V. S. Srinivasa Sastri. Jinuah felt that Sarma wanted to gain
cheap popularity among his people by moving the resolution. Srini-
VaSa Sastri conceded that Andbra had it strong case far a separate
Province but he objected to the resolution as it wanted a general
reconstitution of provincec of the whole country. Surendranath
Banerjee fet that the time was not opportune to form the linguistic
Provinces. Tej Bahndur Sapru said that he would have supported
the resolution if it bad been confined only to Andhra province.
The rejection of Sarma's resolution perturbed the Andhras. The
district conferences of Krishna and Visakhapatnam felt the need
to intensify the agitation for linguistic provinces. Sri Vikrarna Dev
Varrna, the Maharaja of Jeypore who presided over the Visakhapat-
nam Conference in the course of his address observed :
Though 1 am nor an Andhra by birth the Andhra country
and the Andhra language are like foster mothers to me. The
Andhra movement has my warmest and most cordial sympathy.
The recognition by the Indian National Congress of the dalms
of the Andbra Desa to a sepamtc provincial organisation is in
itself a happy augury for the future.1
N. Pattabhirarnn Rao who had previously opposed the dernmd
for the formation of separate Andha province, changed his view and
supporicd thc formation of separate Andhra province while prestdrng
over the Cuddapah district conference in 1918.
Reforms of 1919
The Montagu-Chclmsford Reforms were announced in July 1918.
The Reforms did not make any change in the Government of India
or in the powers of the Secretary of State. In the provincas d~archy
was introduced. The executive was divided into two halves-the
Reserved D:partment and the Transferred Depsrtmcnt, Tjle 'Reser-
vcd subjects' were to be administered by the Governor with no H s -
PonsibiUty to the legislature, the Governor being rcsponsibla only to
the Central Government and Parliament. The 'Transferred subjects'
were placed in charge of the Governors actin8 with the Ministers
selected by him from the elected members of the provincial legis-
lature.
Public meetings were held in differant Andhra towns like Vija~a-
Wads and Cuddapah to express the dissatisfaction and disap oht-
meat of the people. The Vijayawada meeting felt that the arm* P
did not take any reat stop tawhrds responsible governmmt. A similar
resolufion was passd s t the special District Conference uf Genjamt
Krishns, Nellore and Chittoor.
1. The E M (Madras), 16 May, 1918.
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA
94

A special session of the Andhra Mahasabha was held at Guatur

on 17 ~~~~~t 1918 under the presidentship of Kasinathuni Nages-
wars R ~ ~t . attended by important political leaders like %. N.
~ was
Sarma, B. Venkatapathi Raju, T. Prakasam, B. Pattabhi Sitars-
mayya, G , Harisarvothama Rao, A. Kaleswara Rao and V. Ramadas.
Several members wanted the total re~ectionof the reforms. But B-
N. Sam= wanted the acceptance of the reforms with certain modi-
fications and After a heated discussion the conference
passed a resolution for implementing the reforms on the basis of
Congress-League scheme which provided the supremacy of the
Indian legislature in purely domestic concerns. The resolution was
moved by B.N. Sarma and seconded by T. Prakasam.
The Telugu press =riticised the ~ e f o r msince they did not bring
about any transfer oP powers ~ n t othe hands of the Indians.
The Krishna Pofriko in its editorial of 13 July 1918 observed that:
A mountain has been dug and a rat has been caught. What the
country has so long demanded 1s one and what has beer1 offered
is another. We prayed for the control of the Imperial Legislative
Assembly over finance, our prayer is not granted. It looks as i f
some nominal reforms are offered to wipe away our tears, and
the aspirations of the people have not been considered with due
regard. Changes have been most admirably indicated. One can-
not help admiring their diplomatic skill. All power appears to
be given with the right hand, and taken away with the left. The
machine has been fit with a number of wheels, but each winding
backwards.
The Congress met at a special session in Bombay on August 28-
29, 1918 under the prcsidentsbip of Hasan Jmam to consider the
reforms. It expressed its dissatisfaction and suggested many modi-
fications. Further, it decided to send a deputation to England to
place its views before the Parliamentary Joint Committee. It was on
the issue of the Mont-Ford Reforms that the moderates and cxtre-
parted company for ever. The Moderates under the president-
ship of Surendranath Banerjee constituted themselves as a separate
body known as the Indian National Liberal Federation. The Govern-
ment continued its policy of repression Thousands of people were
arrested on mere suspicion. Among those arrested was Darsi Chen-
C ~ Y whoY ~went to theU S, for higher studies and joined the Gadhar
Party for some time.
First World War came to an end on 1 l November 1918.
The principle of self-determination for all nations proelaimed by
President Wilson of U. S caught the imagination of the people all
over the world. lndian potitical leaders became anxious to know
how far England would be prepared to extend the principle of self-
determination to India. It was in this atmosphere Andbra pro-
vincial Congress Committee met at Vjjayawada on 8 D-ber 1918.
It that the next session of the Congress should be held at London
 THE BIRTH OF THB ANDH'RA uOVEMBW 95

and proposh to the Government to nominate Tilak as one of the

delegates to the Peace Conference."
The annual session of the Congress was held at Delhi under the
Presidency of Madan Mohan Malaviya. It yuggcstcd vnrious modi-
fications to the Mont-Ford Reforms and wanted that India should
be represented at the VersaiIle.6 Peace Conference. l t nominated
Tllak, Gandhiji and Hasan Imam as representatives. Further, it
resolved to send a deputation to England to present India's case.

2s. % Hind,[(Madras), 10 Dkbmher, 191%-

 Andhra and the Indian
National Movement
I
' h e Advent of Gandhiji
The year 1919 marked an important landmark in tbe freedom 1
struggle of our cout~tsy.It saw the entry of Mahatma Gandhi idto the 1
I arena of Indian politics and he dominated the political scene till the
country became free in 1947. Gandhiji was the right kind of leader
the country netderl when the Government was arming itself with
extraordinary powers to curb the rising tide of Indian Nationalism.
Rowlatt Act I
I In 1919 fhe Government passed the Rowlatt Act which gave tbc
Executive special powers to deport individuals, to muzzle the press
and to set up tribunals to try political offenders. These repressive
measures provoked criticism from all over the country. The T e l ~ g u
press especially Andhra Psrrika and Krishna Patrika protested vehe-
mently against the Act. The latter journal felt that the Government of
India wastrying to cut at the root of the fundamental rights of man.
It was bowewer, Gandhiji's reaction to the Rowlatt Act that has
completely changed the political situation in the country. When
Gandhiji's appeal to tbe Viceroy to withhold the consent t o the bill
was ignored he came to the fore and started the Satyagraha move-
ment as a challenge to the Government. He asked the country :t
obsetve 6 April 1919 as a day of fasting, prayer and national humr-
liatlon. The people were asked to disobey the law by non-violent
methods.
Andhra responded enthusiastically to Gandhiji's call of Satya-
graha In many towns like Visakhapatnnm, Rajahmundry, Narass-
Pw,Eluru, Vijayawada. Guntur, Nellore and Chittoor, 6 April was
observed as a day of prayer and fasting. The royts o f Vijaya-
wads taluka met at Kolavennu ta protest against the A C ~ . ~ h o u g h
the day passed off Peacefully in Andhra it led to mass demonstrations,
strikes and riots in many parts of the country. In the Punjab there
were disturbances in Gujranwala and Amritsar. ~ h Punjab c
G~vernmentadopted a policy of stern repression. The Lt. Governor
 ANDHRA AND TWB.NATIONAL MOYeMBNT 97

Michael O'Dwyer was determined to teach a lesson to the Panjabis

and keep the province free from political agitations.
Jalianwals Bagh Massacre
On 8 April 1919 prohibitory orders were served on Gandhiji not
to enter Delhi or the Punjab. Matters came to a crisis on 13 April
1919 when General Dyer ordered the troops to open fire on twenty
thousand people who assembled at Jalianwala Bagh (Amritsar) in a
Prohibited meeting. As the military had blocked the only entrance
to the Bagh the crowd had no way of escape. According to official
figures 400 people were killed. Many morc would have been kilkd
1f the ammunition had not been exhausted.
The Punjab atrocities sent a thrill of horror throughout the
country. As a protest against this gruesome incident poet Rabjndra-
nath Tagore surrendered to the Government his title of Kinghthood.
The district conferences of Ganjam, Godavari and Krishaa codtmn-
ed the massacre. At the Ganjam Conference the question of the
recall of Lord Chelrnsford, the Viceroy came up for consideration.
One important outcome of people's reaction to the martial law
regime in the Punjab was the demand for a declaration of funda-
mental rights. T.Prakasam while presiding over the Nellore district
conference in September [919 made a pointed reference to the dccla-
ration of fundamental rights,
Kbilafat Movement
After the end of the First World War the Indian Muslims were
very much agitated about the MG of Turkey whiah hod joined
Germany and fought against England and its allies. The empire of
Turkey was dismembered. The hurniIiation inflicted on the Turkish
Sultan who was the spiritual head (Khaliph) of the Islamic world
shocked the religious sentiments of the Indian Muslims. They ex-
Pressed their resentment against England by starting a movement
known as the Khilafat Movement under the badership of Shonkat
Ali and Mohammad Ali (AIi brothers). Gandhi joined the move
ment and expressed his sympathy to the Muslims. He prmided ovcr
the Islamic Conference at Delhi on 24 November 1919. At that
Conference he expounded for the first time his technique of non-
violent non-co-operation.
The annual session of the Congress far the year 1919 met at
Amritsar under the Presidentship of Motital Nehru. By that time
Monr-Ford Refoms were passed into law and all the political pri-
soners were released so as to create n favoureble atmosphere for the
reception of the Reforms. C.R Das and Tilak felt the Kefoms as
inadequate, unsatisfactory and disappointing and were for their
rejection. Gandhiji and Malaviya wanted to give them a fair tdal.
~ t i m a i e l ya compmmise was arrived at. A resolution was p c d
expressing the opinion that the Refo~msAct was inadequate, unsatla-
factory and disappointing, but at the same time it weed the Parlia-
ment ro take early steps to establish full responsible government in
India in accordance with the principle of aelf determination.
98 WSTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

Non-Co-operation Movement
The Government of India Act 19 19 was passed by the Parliament
to give effect to the Mont-Ford Reforms. The Act left many
matters like the delimitation of constituencies, aIlocation o r seats t o
different communities and districts etc., to the discretion of the
Government of India. The elections to the legislature under the
new Act were to take place in November 1920. So the Andhras
becam-, anxious to safeguard their interests. The Standing Commit-
tee of the Andhra Mahasabha and the Andhra Provincial Congress
Committee held meetings in January and February 1920 respectively.
They proposed to the Government of India, that (1) the Tclugu
districts should be allotted not Jess than one half of the total num-
ber of elected seats, (2) of the two seats assigned to the University
of Madras one should be reserved to the northern district and (3) of
the four seats on the Council of State allotted t o the Madras Presi-
dency two should be reserved for the Telugu districts.
In September 1920, the Special Session of the Co~igresswas held
at Calcutta. Many prominent Andhras like Konda Venkatappaiah,
Pattabhi Sitaramayya, Duggirala Gopa!akrishnayya. A. Kaleswara
Rao, Peta Bapayya attended it. In that session Gandhiji's resolu-
tion advocating non-violent non-co-operatian was accepted by an
overwhelming majority. The programme of non-co-operation
among other items included the renunciation of all government titles,
the boycott of !egislatvres. Iaw courts. and Government schooIs and
colleges. Konda Venkatappaiah was among tbe thirty Andhra
delegates who opposed it. But heabided by the resolution and
resigned his membership of the Madras Legislature.
AS a result of this resolution the political situation in the country
had changed. Many withdrew their candidature to the legislatures
and ether elected bodies. Many meetings were held t o boycott the
elections t o be held in November. At Rajahmundry a meeting was
held on 28 September requesting the graduate voters not to exercise
their rranchise. The merchants of that place also decided not t o
exercise their franchise. Konda Venkatappaiah toured several dls-
t r i m to see that the elections were boycotted. As a result of this
propaganda very few people voted in the clcction. In Guntur only
1 5 per cent of votes were polled. In Rajahmundry out of a total of
120 Muslim voters only one and that too a government servant tcok
part in the voting. At Chittoor 135 out of 534 and in Greamspet
(Rural) Comtituency 60 out of 500 recorded their votes.1
As a r ~ u l of
t the Congress boycott of elections the Justice Party
which was formed to protect the interests of the non-brahmjns came
out successful. It won 63 out of 98 elected seats of the Madras
Legislative Assembly. The First Justice Party Ministry was formed
o* 17 December 1920 with Subbarayulu Reddjw as Chief Minister.
The other Ministers were P.Rarnarayaningat, t t e Raja of panagal
and K.V.Reddi Naidu of Eluru.
1 - 'JkHindu (Madras), 2 December 1920,
 ANDHRA AND 'ME NATIONAL MOVEMENT

Jn December 1920, the annual session of the Congress rvas held

a t Nagpur under the Presidentship of C. Vijayaraghavachariar. At
this session the creed of the Congress was changed. It laid down
that "the object of the Congress is the attainment of Swaraj by all
Iegilimate and peaceful means" instead of 'by constitutional means'
the phrase previously in use. Gandhiji promised to bring Swaraj
within a year through non-co-operation. Andhra enthusiastically
responded to the call of Gandhiji. Guntur district took a leading
Part in the non-co,operatlon, movement by organising the no-tax
campaign at Pedanandi padu, forest Satyagraha a t Palnad and
Chirala-PeraJa Satyagrahe.
Nan-Co-operation Mavcmeat in Aadhra
"The years 1921-31 constitute s most glorious and heroic chapter
in the history of the freedom struggle in Andhrrl " During these
Years the Andhras followed Gandhiji's leadership meticulously and
made splendid sacrifices for the freedom of the country. Inspired
leadership was provided by eminent men like De>aMiaktaKonda
Venkatappaiah,Andhra Ratna Duggirzla Gopalakrishnayya. Andhra
Resari Tanguturi Prakasam, Desoddaraka Kasinathuni Nageswara
Rao, Dr. Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya, etc.
The A.I.C.C. Session at Vijayawada, April 1921
The All India Congress Committee met at Vijayawada on 31 March
and I April 1921. This session was an important event in the
histnry of modern Andhra. Thousands of people from a11 over the
l'elugu districts attended rhis session to have 'darshan' of important
national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nchru, Cbittaranjan
Das, Mohammad Ali, Shoukat Ali, ttc. At this session it was deci-
ded to collect rupees one crore for Tilak Swaraj Fund. This session
is also notable fram another point of view. It was at this session that
Pingsli Venkaiah designed the tri-colour flag for the Congress.
Gandhiji accepted it with slight moditication. Subsequently the Rag
with other modifications became the National Flag of our country-
After the A.I.C.C. session Mabatma Gandhi undertook the tout
of the coastal Andhra districts and addressed meetings at Kakinada,
Rajahmundry, Eluru, MachiIipatnam, Chirata, Nellore, and 0 t h ~
places. His tour created great impact on all peopIe specidly WOmtn
who had till now not taken any interest in public affaus. Some
the women like Duvvuru Subbarnma, Ponaka Kanakarnma: Umava
Lakshmibayarnma, proved to be excellent orators and pol~tical or-
ganisers. As per the direction of the A.I.C.C. Andhra joined the rest
of the country in boycotting the visit of the Prince of Wales. The
hart a1 at Vijayawada was coniplete and most swntaneous,
Duggirala Gopalakrishna~aand the
Chirala-Perala Struggle
Duggirala Gopalakrisbnayya was born on 2 June 1889 in Peau-
granctu-prolu village of the Nandigama taluka of the Krishna dis-
trict. He lost his mother Sitamma when he was only three days old.
100 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

Three years later bis father Kodandararna Swamy died- The Young
orphan was brought up by his paternal uncle Sivaramayya. He was
educated at Kuchinipudi and Guntur.
During the years 1905-1 I, the Vandemataram movement gained
momentum in Andhra. Like many other young students of coastal
Andhra, Gopalakrishnayya was also drawn into the movement. In
1909 he participated in the Second Audhta Students Conference at
Machilipatnarn.
After passing the matriculation examination, he worked for few
months as a c\erk in the Taluka ofice at Bapatla. He resigned that
post and worked as a teacher in the Mission School at Guntur. In
1911 he left for England for higher studies.
Gopalakrishnayya joined the University of Edinburgh and took
his M.A. (Hons.), degree in Economics in 1916. During his stay in
England he became the Secretary of the Edinburgh Indian Associa-
tion He came into contact with Dr. Ananda K. CoornaraswamY
and from him learnt a great deal about Indian Art, Literature and
Philosophy. In I91 5 when Gandhiji visited England. Dr. Coomara-
swamy took Gopalakrishnayya to London ant! introduced him to
Gandhiji as "the coming man of your country."l
Afrer his return t o India Gopalakrishnayya joined as Professor
of History and Economics in the Government Training College at
Rajahmundry. He worked there for nine months only In 1918 he
joined the Andhra Jatiya Kalasala at Machilipatnam 3s its Vice-
Principal, but stayed there for about eight months only. As he was
dissatisfied with the educational system at both the jnstitutions, he
started an association called Andhra Vidyapeetha Gosbthi near
Chirala.
The Chirala-Perala Strnggle
One ofthe glorious episbdes in the Freedom Movement was the
Chiuala-Perala Struggle. Chirala and Perala are two neighbouting
villages in Bapntla Taluk of Prakasam district. Their combined
population according to the 1921 census was about 15 thousand.
These two villages together with the villages of J a n d r a ~ t a and
Veeraraghavapeta were constituted into an administrative unit called
the Chirala Union, which realised Rs.4,000 per annum as taxes. In
1919 the Madras Government constitilted t h e villages of Chirala and
Perala into a municipality, while the two other villages of Jandrapeta
and Veeraraghavapetacontinued under the Union. The constitution of
Chirala and Perala into muncipality in 1920 increased the tax burdm
of the P~oPleto RE.40.000 a year without bringing any correspond-
ing benefits- Mast of the people were weavers and petty-ryots
beIonf5ng to the lower income group. The people therefore made
representations to the Government to restore the jtoluj plo onte,
Under the reforms of 1919, local administration became a trans-
ferred subject. This portfolio was held by the Chief Minister Raja
- a-V- Subba Rae. Andhra Rolna Gop~lakrlzhnayya,Amlapurarn, 1957.
p. 13.
 ANDHRA AND THE NATIONAL M O W W T I01
Ramarayaningar belonging to the Justice Party, which was in opposi-
tion to the Congress Party. When the Chief Minister visited Chirala
in February 1921, the people made a representation for revoking the
municipality. But he refused to accede to their request since the
peopIe of the area were led by a Congressman and that too a B r d -
min, Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya.
When their representations proved to be of no avail, the people
of ChiraIa under Gopalakrishnayya's leadership started a no-tax
campaign arid refused to pay the municipal taxes levied on them. In
March I921 twelve of those who rel'used to pay the taxes were arrest-
ed, They included an elderly woman. She was, perhaps, the first
woman political prisoner in India. Gopalakrishnayya organised a
volunteer corp called 'Ramadandu' to serve the needs of the com-
munity. On 30 March, GopaIakrishnayya proceeded to Vijayawada
and met Mahatma Gandhi who came there to attend the A,LC.C,
session. Mahatma Gandhi who visited Chirala on 6 April advised
the people to continue the no-tax campaign peacefully and evacuate
their houses, so that the Municipality would disappear automati-
cally. The people followed his advice literally and 13,572 vilIagers
out of the total population of 15,326 evacuated rheu homes on the
midnight of 25 April 1921. The people settled on the outskirts of
the village by constituting a new township called Ram Nagar, For
the next eleven months they stayed there. The people shffered untold
hardships. The summer of 1921 was one of the severest, tbe iem-
perature In the shade rose to 120°F. This was followed by heavy
rains in July and August. log' of rain fell in few weeks.
The main problem was finance as the exodus dislocated the busi-
neu. But very few people came forward with donations. In Sep-
tember 1921 Gopalakrishnayya visited Berhampur to attend the
Andhra Mahasabha Conference held there and also to collect funds.
There he was arrested rind tried for sedition and was sentenced to
one year rigorous inlprisonment.
After the arrest of Gopalakrishnayya the morale of thc pcoplc
was badly affected No prominent Congressmen came forward to
take up the leadership. So the people had to return to their original
borne.
Causes for the Fallnre of the Cbirsla Movement
The Andhra Congress leaders were jealous of Gopahkrishnnyya'a
popularity and his work. The leaders likt Konda Venkatappalah
and Pattabhi Sitaramayya did not help to sustain the movement.
Secondly, after the arrest of Gopalakrishnayya in October 1921, no
other leader came forward to lead the movement. Thirdly, la& of
finance also contributed to the failure of the movement For Bardoli
Satyflgraha, Gandhiji spent nearly 10 lakbs af rupees in 1921, where
as for the Chirala struggle the Provincial Congress Committee had
not granted even Rs. 4,000 though the people of Chimk had con-
Lributed more than Rs. 8,QOO for tha TiIak Swaraj fund,
102 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDLiRA

Gandhiji oa the Cbirala S h g g l e

Gandhiji in his journal Young India commented on the Chirala
Struggle in the folIowing words:
Chirala-Pcrala, is, in fact, one village, not far from the seas
with a nice climate and containing a compact population of about
15,000. The Government has been endeavouring to impose a
Municipality on the people who protested against the measure.
Let us see what the Municipality meant for the people. certainly
not better sanitation, for the place was unusually well kept by
the people themselves, certainly not moreeducation for the people
were non-co-operators. It meant more taxation more interference
with their liberty. This was an intolerable evil for the people.1
The Forest Satyagraha of Palnadu
One of the important episodes in the non-co-operation movement
in Andhra was the Forest Satyagraba of Palnadu. Palnadu is a
backward region in the Guntur district. The people of that area had
a number of grievances against local officials, especially those belong-
ing to the forest department. Thc subordinate staff of the forest
department harassed the people in a number of ways. The poor
people were not allowed t o enter the forests for grazing their cattle
or collecting dry wood for fuel, without paying bribes. Those who
refused ta comply with the demands of the officials were prosecuted
for violating the forest laws. In 1921 there was a severe shortage of
cattle fodder due to the failure of rains. Many poor people r e p r e
sented to the Government to allow them to let their cattle inlo the
forests for grazing. As no reply was received for their represent-
ation, the people became restive. They became receptive t o the ideas
of non-co-operation as they felt that it was the only way to ventilate
their grievances.
At Macherla, the important town of that region, a social boycott
of all government 0rncials was orgauised. Shopkeepers refused to
sell their products to government oficials, who were already incon-
venienced as t b q could not get the services of washermen and
barbers. The important sevenue 05cial ofthe area, the Deputy
Tahsildar, could not get even milk roc his children. On receiv~ng
the reports of the social boycott, the Collector visited the area to
study the situation first hand. H e was also subjected to the same
social boycon. He could get neither supplies nor conveyance for
himself and the Superintendent of Police. When he t o get
his orders announced by the beat of d r u m , be was told t b t all the
drums in the village and its neighbourhood were damaged. The
social boycott was a hundred per cent success,
July 1921, two well-known fingress leaders of Guntur Zfn-
nays Lsxminarayaair and Vedantam Natasimhacharj visited the area
to study the situation on the spot. The Collector who was
there at that time issued summons t o them t o furnish security for
good behaviour. The ~ p l took e the two leaders in grand procesion
1- Qukd in G.V. S u b b ~Rro, Andbro Rutnu GO^^^^^^^^^^^^^ p. 48.
 ANDHRA AND THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT
U 103
to the Collector's camp accompanied by the beating of the drums.
The Collector naturally became furious since that very morning he
could not get a single drum to get his orders announced in the viitage
by tour tom-tom or beat of drums. The two leaders were henteoced
to one year's imprisonment. Their arrest led to a seven-day harrd
in Guntur.
With the imprisonment of Lakshminarayana and Nara~irnhech~n',
the situntion in Palnadu deteriorated. The s ~ c i aboycott
l was trans-
formed into a no-tax campaign. People began to violate forest laws
and sent thcir cattle into Reserve forests for grazing. The nlovement
was spontaneous. The Coogress leaders were unnerved at the enthus-
laSm of the people in violating the forest laws, When the Palnadu
taluka political conference took place in August 1921 Konde Vtn-
katappaiah felt that the no-tax cdmpaign wns unauthorised slnce if
was not approved by the All lndia Congress Committee. The Con-
gress leaders tried to dampen the enthusiasm OF the people by asking
them not to violate the forest Jaws, but continue the social boycott.
The people were jn no mood to hear this advice. The no-tax
campaign was intensified. Clashes between the people and thc forest
guards became frcqoent. The police who arrived in large numbers to
restore law and order began to terrorise the people. In February
1922 matters became serious when the no-tax campaign in Pedan-
andipadu was at its height. The police were driven out ofmaoy
villages. At the village Veldurthi the police were besieged in the
bungalow where they encamped. With g m t diaiculty the police
could escape in the night under the cover of darkness. Anofhw
VilIage Jallipalem, the people were able to get back their cattIe which
were impounded by the police. The situation in the villages was so
serious that the Collector and Superintendent of Police visited the
village the next day and arrested a number of people. Tbe most
serious incident occurred near the village Minchalapadu which was
regarded by the Collector as "notoriously bad for illicit grazing and
for violent opposition even to the visits of forest o5cers."l The leader
of h e campaign in that area was Kannuganti Hanumanthu, Qn 26
February 1922, the police and the forest officials seized fifty goats
a d one hundred and twenty-five she-buffaloes driving them to the
pond a t Mutkur. On the way they were attacked by a crowd of
about 300 m a and women and ths cattle were rescued. Thereupon
the police fire which resulted in the death of three persons
including ~ ~ ~ u m a n t hThe u . crowd dispersed aPer the firing. N e ~ t
day the Collector and the Superintendent of P o h e visited the viUagt
aod arrested a large number of people.
The death of their leader and tb? lukewarm attitude ofthe Con-
gress demorPllised the people. They gave U P tbelr satyyraha and by
I March 1922 normaclp was restor&.
1. ~~~~~~~t N ,,. 67-The Fedon S b @ g b f~ Andhra Pp&sh fAbdhraj, Val,
111, 1921-1931)~ d by, M. ~enkaiaiangaiah(HYdaabad), 1g65
 HISTORY OP MODERN ANDmA 11
he NO-tax Campaign of Pedrnaadipadu
The no-tax campaign of Pedaamdipadufirka of the l3apatl;.@luka
oi Gunhr district was one of the most important episodes the
noo.co-operation movement in Andhra. The campaign was s o sue-
cessrul that Lord Wellington who was the Governor of Madras was
reported to have confessed later that it shook the very foundation of
the British empire in India. The most important point to remember
about this campaign was that it was not organised by the Congress,
Of course important Congress leaders of Guntur district like Konda
Venkatappaiah and Gollapudi Sitarama Sastri (later Swami sitaram)
supported the movement and helped to sustain it.
The movement was not political in origin. I t arose due t o certain
service grievances of the village oficials. The service conditiofls of
the village officers were not improved in spite of the many representa-
tions of the village officers' assacia&ionto the Board of Revenue and
Cbc Government. One of the grievances was "too little pay and too
much work." Other grievances of the village oficers was the reduc-
tion in the village establishment. The Government as a measure of
economy abolisbed many pasts as assistant Karnams, assistant head
men, vettis and mohtads. When their grievances were not redressed
the village officers of the Pedanandipadu submitted resignations. AS
a result the collection of land revenue carno to a standstill. AS the
Ciovernrnent could not appoint substitutes and colkct the revenue,
its prestige suffered a serious blow.
The leader of the no-tax campaign was Parvataneni ViraYYa
Chowdari. Though he did not have any formal education, he \Vas
noted for his integrity and sincerity. He was a born leader and the
people of the area followed him implicitly. The people supported the
village officers by refusiog to pay taxes to the Government, When
the police and other omials tried to intimidate the leaders to sub-
mission. the people organised the social boycott of all officials.
The Government deputed Harris, a member of the Board of Revenue
to visit the area, and defuse the situation. He tried in vain to get
the vil!age pmers to withdraw their resignations by that
all @revanca would be redressed. He realised the of the
s i t ~ t l o nand informed the government that "the movement is
referred t o as non-co-operation or civil djsobdience, lt more
y dcecribed as attempted revolution. ~ t express
a ~ p r o ~ r l a l e lbe s
obj=t is to subvert the existing g0verommt.W ~h~ CoHator of
OuntUI atsocollaborakd tb Same point when be reported to the
Gavernrnent that "the present movement is optn
for the moment non-violentn.
The G?vemment ?ade many effonr lo m s u a d r the village offi-
cials t? w'thdraw rcsignilt ion, by promising that their heredit-
ary rlght3 not be interfered with a d that their servjce
tions
-ttn the
!"' bettered. When these attcmpb failed it lri& t o
office's by appointing new ones in their pasts.
But this also did not succeed. The p , q l e ofthe area raised
D o c u ~ n tNo.
fu' u921-i931)r Ffmdom StrtrggIe I" ~ ~ db&
Mu Veakat~'"~hh (Hydcrabd), 1965.
, , ~{l,,dhrn,,
~ ~ d .
 ANDHRA AND TUB NATIONAL MOVBMBNT 105'
.--
a volunteer corps called Shanti Seua, which prevented the new
recruits from joining their posts.
The Goverument tried to change its tactics by creating dissension
among the people. It posted a Muslim Sub-Inspector in the area to
dissuade the Muslims from supporting the movement. A Kamma
inspector in the co-operative departmeat was promoted [as Deputy
Collector to persuade the ryots, who were mostly Kammas, to pay
*he taxes to the government. When these measures failed to change
the situation, the Government deployed the army in the area. But
military demonstration did not result in the collection of taxes.
M e n the Government was a t its wit's end, the situution was saved
for it by the dissensions among the Congressmen.
From the beginning Mahatma Gandhi looked at the movement
with disfavour. But the leaders of Ountur district went abead with
the no-tax campaign, since it was a spontaneous movement of the
people. When the movement was at its zenith a section of the Andhra
Congressmen who were opposed to Konda Venkatappaiah prevailed
upon the Andhra Provincial Congress Commlttet to appoint a sub-
. . - aommittee consisting of K. Nageswara Rao, T. Prskasam nnd D.
Narayana Raju to taur the area and report on the situation prevail-
iag there. The sub-committee was impressed with the movement,
but was afraid that it may not remain non-violent if the Government
appplied additional force.
On 10 February 1922 when the Gontur District Congress Corn-
inittee was considering the report Mahatma Ciandhi sent I, letrcr to
Konda Venkatappaiah advising him to call off the campaign until
the results of the Bardoli Satyagraha became clear. The letter of
Gandhiji perturbed the Andhra Congrcss leaders. They knew very
well that the suspension of tbe movement when it bad achieved a
near success would undermine the prestige of tha Congress and also
result in savage repressions by the government. A11 the same the
Obedient followers of the Mahatma called off the campaign much to
the chagrin of the people.
As expected the government unleashed savage repfession- V~ayya
Cbowdari was forced to tender an apology on h e Pain of being shot
dead. the end of March 1922 the non-co-op~rat~on movement
fizzled out m d the authority of the British Goverrimefll was
as strong as ever.
AUuri Sita-8 Raju and Rampa Rebellloo
One of the important episodes of thefreedom strue@ in Andhre
was the rebellion of Alluri Sitarama R a ~ u , The rebeIllon P ~ P U ~ = ~ Y
known as the Rampa Rebtllion was not launch? under the auspices
of the Congress. Nevertheless this rebelLon which lasted for about
two years and five months i.e. from January 1922 to May and
COafined to the agency areas o f &st Godavarl a d V1sakbapatnam
districts mvemore trouble to the Government than the non-co-
opecation movement.
'106 USTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA
- -7a
The leader of the rebellion Alluri Sitarama Raju was born in
1897 in the village Moggallu in West Godavari district. BY 19z1 he
came under the influence of the non-co.operation movement aqd
aimed to overthrow the British rule. He however did not believe
non-violence. Being a Kshatriya he believed in war to achieve h?s
objective. In July 1921 he went to Chittagong and ~articipatedla
the secret meeting of the Bengali revolutionaries. On his return he
chose to make the Gudem hills of East Godavari district his area of
operation since the tribal people of that area suffered due to the
misdeeds of the local Tabsildar, Bastian, the Muttadxi System and
the fortst reservation policy of the Government.
The problem of Raju was to get an adequate of arms and
ammunitian. That is why he began to attack the police stations
starting with that of Chintapalli on 22 ,4ugust 1922. Raju got two
faithful lieutenants-'the Gam brothersn,Gam MalIu Dora and G?m
Gantam Dora. Raju extended his activities to the ncighbourlqg
areas and attacked the police stations at Krishnadev~Peta,Raja
Vomnangi, etc. The Government realisiog the seriousness of the
situation sent an armed police party under the command of Scott-,:
Coward and Haytes. Raiu on receiving the intelligence of the pollce
Party ambushed it o n the Dammapelli ghat killing Scot coward and
b y t e s . The poljce withdrew, leaving behind a great deal of mau-
nition.
The Government brought Malabar special police to resume
sive yainst Raju. They made a surprise attack on Raju at Pedda-
gaddaqalem on (, December 1922, but Raju managed to escape- For
some time nothtng was heard about Raju, so the Malabar pollce
waa withdrawn. Once again Raju resumed his activities by attack-
ing the police station at Annavaram on 18 April 1923. ~ h o u g hhe
could not get any ammunition there, he was given a great ovation
by the people and also the officials like the Deputy ~ ~ h s i l d aandr
Sub-Jnspector of Police. Raju got his first setback when Gsm Malu
Dofa was* captured af Nadimpalle village on 18 September 1923.
%JU's~ 0 1 of1 attacking
~ ~ the police stations for ammunition did not
yteld results as the government took care not to keep any smmunl-
tion in the police stations. The government got two c o m p a n i ~of ~
Assam rifles and-appointed Rutherford as special Commissioner in-
charge of OPcratIons against Raju. In spite of these actions by t b
~overnmentRaju continued his activities as before. On 6 M a y
--
192% One of his close arsociater, Perisherla Suryanar.ya.a and
p0pvlar1y known as Aggi h j u wan captured near h(s&-Jeru. The
nextday Raju himself was capturd by junedsr Kuochu Menon-
He was brought to Koyyur and shot dead, +he Rampa rebellion
thus came to an end.
'" Rampa =bellion had aught the imagination of the Andbra
and Faall h j u " 6 dndr with pride. But his ~011temp0-
1

"0 C o ~ f P s leadas
s libowed no sympathy for him or his movement.
~ C welcomed
Y its suppression. .rhe conycSs Committee and the
Mhra Mahanabha which met for their m u a l fission in October
 ANDHRA AND THE NATIONAL MOVEUENT 107
t

1924 did not pass any resolutions appreciating Raju's patriotic fer-
vour and his noble sacrifice in the cause of the country's freedom, on
the ground that there was uncertainty about his death.
On 12 February 1922, the Congress Working Committee passed
at BardoIi a resolution suspending the civil disobedience movement,
c As a result there was a lull in the political activity in Andhra.
The Simon Commission
On 8 November t927, the British Government annotlnced the
appointment of a Statutory Commission under the Chairmanship of
Sir John Simon to report on the working ofthe reforms of 1919.
As there was no Indian in the Commissi~IIalmost all the political
parties decided to boycott it. The Andhra Mahasabha also decided
to boycott the Commission, but thc Oriyas of Berhampore and the
Utkal Sarnmilani presented a memorandum to the Commission
requesting the eatly formation of Orissa province.
The Municipal Councils of Tirupati, Kurnool, Vijayawada, Eluru
Srikakulam passed resolutions in favour of boycott. Even liberals
like Nyapathi Subba Rao decided to boycott the Commissioo. On
3 February 1928, hartal was observed in almost all Andhra towns.
The Government selected Guntur nnd Ongole as the two Andhra
towns for the visit of the Commisnion. Prakasam, Ramadas and
V.V. Jogaiah issued a Joint Statement exhorting the Andhras and
particuJarly the citizens of the two towns, Ongloe and Guntur to
express their resentment by boycotting the Commission. Whcn
Simon and his party halted at Vijayawada railway station on their
way to Guntur. the peon of the municipality handed over to Simon
a sealed envelope containing the boycott resolution passed by the
Council and also a paper on which the words 'Simon, Go Back'
were inscribed. The Coinmission was greeted with black flags at
Guntur and Ongole.
The Com~nissionwas scheduled to /visit Madras on 26 February
1928. The Chef Presidiag Magistrate issued an order prohibiting
any kind of political propaganda. Over Madras, the Cobgress
Committee of both Andhra and Tamil Nadu had jurisdiction. The
Andhra Provincial Congress Committee decided to defy the probibi-
tory orders, but the Tamil Nade Provincial Congress Committee
decided otherwise. In spite of Tamil Nadu Congress Commlftee's
non-co operative attitude, c;omplcte hertal was observed in Madras
an the days of the visit of Simon's Commission. Earlier T. Praka-
sam took a leading part in Madras city in co!ducting propagmda
ageinst the Commission. There were some d~sturbancesand me
man was killed when the police opened fire. When Prakasam decld-
ed to visit the sceno of police firing along with his followers, the
police tried to prevent him from moving forward. Thereupan be
expo& the chest to the police and declared "We are determined to
move and have a look at the dead body OF our wmrade, shoot
me if you wsnt."l The police were taken aback and allowed him
1. KaIeowara b o A., Nmya Andhmmu, 373-
 I

HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

I
to proceed. For this act of bravery, Prakasam, came to be called
'Andhra Kesari'.
The Commigsion published its report in May 1930. It recom-
mended the formation of Orissa and Sind provinces, N o wonder
it made n o mention of Andbra. The Andhra ~epderswere busy in
organisiog boycott and black flag demonstrations. In contrast the
Oriya leaders presented a memorandum to the Commission and got
its sympathetic hearing.
After the publication of the Commission's reports, the Medras
Government withdrew its objection to the amalgamation of the
Oriya territories of the presidency with the proposed Orissa province
as it entailed only a "minor adjustment of territory." With regard
to the formation of Andbra province it continued to oppose the
move.
Round Table Conference
After the publication of Simon's Report, the British Government
convened a Round Table Conference of the political parties of India
at Londan to draw up a new constitution for India. The Congtess
decided to boycott the Round TabIe Conference and Gandhiji began
his civil disobedience movement on 6 April 1930. The first session
of the Round Table Conference began in London in November 1930.
Since tbe Congress boycotted the Conference, no Andhra attended it
to plead for the creation of Andhra province. The conference con-
ceded in principle the formation of Orissa and Sind provinces.
The Second Round Table Conference
~ h Second
k Round Table Conference began on 7 September 1931
and Gandhiji attended it. The Andhra leaders realised their claim
for a separate province had gone by default. Even then they did not
taka steps to remedy the situation. They pinned their hopes on
Gandhiji. Pattabhi Sitaramayya and Kaleswara Rao met Gandhiji
before his departure to London to plead for the case of Andba.
Gandhiji promised them Andhra province afier Indian independence.
Some of the Andhra leaders like, V.V. Giri, A.P. Patro, M.
Ramachandra Rao, the Raja of Bobbili met Lord Lothern, Under
Secretary of State for India to include Andhra also among the new
provinces to be created. They also circulated memoranda for incor-
porating provisions in the new constitution. for creating new pro-
vinces. It is interesting to note that unlike the leaders, the
Oriya leaders under the Ieadership of the Maharaja of Parlakimedi
made concerted moves and succeeded in getting O k s a Province.
When the Seoond Round Tabte Conference ended, province
was as elusive as before. The Andhra leaders were not disheuttned.
They forgot about the provinces and plunged themselves heart and
soul into the Civil Disobedience Movement which was started amin
On 3 ~ a n 1932.
w after Gandhiji's return to India.
After return the Second Round Table the Raja of
Bobbili became the Chief Minister of Madras in November 1932
 ANDFIRA AND TtIH NATIONAL MOVBMENT log:

When the Legislative Council began discussions on the proposed

constitutional reforms, Harisavothama Raa moved an amendment
for the "immediate creation of Andhra Province." It was disellow-
4. The Raja who had earlier pleaded for Andhra province; with
the British authorities, changed his views on becoming the Chief
Minister. He told the Legislative Council that all must act as
Indians and give a chance for the working of the new rcCorms. His
reply infuriated many Andhra members and as many as 15 Andhra
members gave notices of resolutions for the creation of Andhra pro-
vince along with the introduction of the new constitutionnl refttrms.
The resolution for the creation of Andhra Province was passed by
the Council. The Madras Government forwarded it to the Govern-
ment of India without any remarks or comments.
Civil Disobedience Movement In Andhra
On 6 April 1930, Gandhiji began his campaign of Civil Disobe-
dience by setting out to Dandi with seventy-eight followers to break
the laws regarding the production of salt, This was the beginning of
a nationwide mass movement.
Thc Andhra Congrew Committee appointed Konda Vmkata-
ppaiah as the dictator for the entire Andhra region ro carry on the
Satyagraha Movement. For each district there was a dictator and
a war council to advise him. A sibiram or military camp was also
established in each district. In Madras city the main participants
in the Salt Satyagraha, as the Civil Disobedience Movement came to
be known, were Andhras. The prominent among them were K.
Nageswara Rao, V.L. Sas'q, Durgabai Deshmukh, Gade Rangayya
Naidu and T. Prakasnm.
One af the main features of the Salt Satayagtaha was the partici-
pation of women in their thousands. Many women were sent to
jail, prominent among them being Smt. Bharati Devi Ranga.
Vallabhaaeni Sitamahalakshmamma, Digumadi Janakammo and
Khammampati Manikyamba. The last mentioned lady went to
prison with a six month old baby in her arms.
At Bcrhampore, on 1 5 January 1932 the police opened fire on
'Satyagrahis' resulting in injuries to many. Mahatma Gandhi
released from prison on 8 May 1933 and he suspended the movement
on 14 July 1933.
Leftist Perties
The failure of the Civil Disobedience Movement and Nehm's
articls on Socialism after his visit to Soviet Russia influenced many
Aodhrrs to organice parties with left-whg amiations. From 1935
onwards three leftiat parties became promiaent in Andhra- They
were the Communist Party, Congress Socialist Party and the Radical
Humanist Party of M.N.Roy. P.Sundarayya was the emI{%t O r P
iser of the Communist Movement in Andhra. Slowly Commuist
ideas caught the fancy of the Andhra youth. Many books on Soviet
Russia and Qmmurrism appeared in Telugu. As arly as 1934
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDIfRA

Maxim Gorky's Mother was translated into Telugu by K. Linga-

1
1
raju. About the same time Srirangam Srinivasa Rao (Sri ~ r i pub-

i
)
lished his poetical work Maha Prusihanarn, which created a tcemen-
dous impact on the minds of the youth. The book helped the spread
of Marxist ideas. The literary journals like Udayini edited by
KompeUa Janardhana Rao and Prarltibha edited by Siva Sankara
Sastri cerated a new school of Telugu poetry and chaUenged the
traditionalists, In Rayahseema, Vidwan Viswam and Tarimala
Nagi Reddi popularised Socialist ideas through the publication of
Navya Sahiryamola of Anantapur.
At Tenali, M. N. Roy's ideas received ready acceptance. The ,

youth of that town like T. Gopichand, A. Gopalakrisbna Murthy,

Koganti Radhakrishna Murthy, M.V. Sastry and G.V.Krishna Rao I
exerted tremendous influence over the youneer generation by their
writings. Gopichand popularised Marxists ideas by his writings in
Prajornitm. Later in his life, Gopicband gave up many of his
Marxist ideas He however carved a niche for himself in Telugu
literature by his famous novel Asamarfliuni Jeeviflta Yafra.
Prof. N.C. Ranga began his political career as a leftist. He took
great interest in organising the Kisan Movement in Andhra. Under
the able guidance of his two followers Pullela Syamasundar Rao and
Gouthu Latchanna, the kisans of Sriknkulam district waged many
successful struggles against the Zamindars. The Socialist Party
established its Andhra unit at Vijayawada io June 1934 with Prof.
Ranga as President and Madduri Annapurnayya as Secretary O ~ h e r
prominent members were AlIuri Satyanarayana Raju, M.Linga Raju.
P.Sundarayya and C. Rajeswara Rao. The last two members later
joined the Communist Party.
In Telengana the leftist ideas began to spread when a youth
forum under the name 'Comrades Association' was started in
Hyderabad city. Makdum Mahinuddin, Rajahahadur Gour, Syed
Ibrahim were active participants in the forum. B. Ramakrishna
Rao also supported its activifiec. D. Venkateswara Rao and S.
Ramanadhan who participated in the Vandemataram movement i n
Hyderabad had leftwing sympathies. Among the active partiripants
of the Andhra Mahasabha, Ravi Narayana Reddi, Baddam Yella
Reddy and Arutla Narasimha Reddi were influenced by Marxist
ideas The Nizarn State Communist Party was establishd as early
as 1929. Andhra Communist leader C Rajeswara Rao conducted
the first poIitica1 school of the Hyderabad Committee. From the
VeY b:ginning there was close CO-ordination between the Commun-
ists ofA n d h and Telengana,
QdtIndia Movement
As already noted, the Congress ministries resimed from ofiffice in
November 1939. By 1941-42 the war situation both in Europe and
Asia was not fav~utableto the allies. Realising the need to enlist
Indian support for war efforts the British Government decided t o
molve the Indian politi~aldeadlock by sending Sit Stafford fiipps
ANDHU AND THB NATIONAL MOVEMENT 111

to India in March 1942. He opened negotiations with different

political parties but his talks failed.
The failure of the Cripps hlission created a feeling of frustration
among the Indians since Japanese forces threatened to knock at the
door of lndia. The A.I.C.C. which met at Bombay on 6 AugusL
1942, passed the Quit India resolution. The Government ofIndia
replied by arresting Gandhi and the members of Congress Working
Committee. This angered the peopIe and led to disturbances in
different parts of the country.
In coastal Andhra riots broke out in different towns and police
opened fire at Tenali on 12 August which resulted in the death of
about nine persons. Firings took place at Guntur and Bhimavaram
on 13 August and 17 August respectively.
 Andhra in Madras politics
The Justice Party
In November 19 16, about thirty non-brahmin leaders of the Mad-
ras Presidency including Pitty Tyagaraja Chetti forwed an associa-
tion called South Indian People's Association to publish newspapers
in English, Telugu and Tamil to ventilate tbe grievances of the non-
brahmins. The Association brought out an English daily called
Justice on 26 February 1917. Earlier in D cember 1916, the South
Endian Liberal Federation (S. 1. L. F.) was inaugurated to safeguard
the interests of the non-brahmins. Within a short time the S.I.L.F.
came to be known as the Justice Partv. Though the Justice Party
had not much following in Andhra. many of its leaders were Telu-
gus.
When the British Government decided to grant reforc~sto India
as per Montagu's announcement of 1917, the Justice Party sent a
deputation to present its case before the Joint Select Committee.
Among its members were K. V. Reddi Naidu of Eluru and Koka
Appa Rao Naidu of Berhampore, P. Ramarayaningar (Later Rajah
of Panagal) also went to London as a representative of All India
Land Holder's Association. Later he joined the Justice Party.
The British Government granted reforms popularly known as
Mont-Ford Reforms (Montagu-Chelmsford) in 1919. The impor-
tant element in the Reforms was the introduction of dyarchy in the
provinces. Under the new reforms provincial elections were held
in 1920. The Coi~gessboycotted the elections. The Justice Party
which supported the British connection, fought the elections and
came out successful. The leader of the Justice Party was Tyagaraja
Chetti. He became the Ieader of the Party after the death of Dr.
T.M.Nair. When the Governor of Madras aaked him toform the
ministry, Tyagaraja Chetti declined. So Subbarayulu Reddiar, the
Justice Party member from Cuddatore in South Arcot district became
the Chief Minister in December 1920, but he resigned in Aptil 1921
due to iU heatth. Thereupon P. Ramarayaningar became the Chief
Minister. The other Andhra Minister was K.V. Reddi Naidu.
The domination of the Justice Party by the Andhras Ied to bitter
rivalq between Andhras and Tamils. During the twenties and
thirties Madras politics was marked by the brahmjn, noo-brnhmb
 and Telugu and Tamil controversies. The Tamil-Telugu rontro-
versies weakened the Justice Pary to some extent. In the electiohs
of 1923, it codd win only 44 out of the 98 elected seats. In 1920 it
won as many as 63. It was able to maintain its majority in the
Council as the nominated members supported it.
Justice Party and the Demand for Andhra Province
Though the Justice Party was dominated by Andhra leaders i t
never supported the formation of a separate Andhra Province. The
reason for this is not far to seek. In the Andhra area, the Justice
Party had a very poor following. On theother hand the Congress
Was veiy popular and it was. able to organise the non-cooperation
movement in the Telugu district, especially Guntur to an amazing
degree of sucfess. The Andhra leaders of the Justice Party never
wanted to have a province where they would count for nothing.
I n 1922, M. Suryanarayana, a member from Visakhepatnnm intro-
duced a resolution in the Madras Legislative Council recommending
the Madras Government to create a separate Andhra province, The
resolution brought to the surface the differences betwcen the Justice
Party ministers regarding their attitude towards the question of the
Andhra province. A.P. Patro, the Education Minister persuaded
Su~yanarayananot to press his resolution, but Reddi Nsidu sup-
Ported the demand of a separate Andhra province. In his minute
he stated that
the Telugu of the Northern Circers have always agitated for
separate Andhra province and thoscin the ceded districts arc
not in favour of it, or at any rate, are not enthusiastic, about il.
Personally, I have always been of the opinion that an Andhra
province is a necessity. But owing to differences between
Brahmins and non-Brahmins in recent years, my attitude has
slightly altered. I am still in favour of a separate province for
the Andhras provided statutory guarantees are made for a major-
ity of non-Brahmins in tbe Legislative Council and in the pub-
lic services of the new pr0vince.l
The Entablisb ment o f the Andhra University
As early as 1913, the Andhra Mahasabha at its first session
demanded the creation of a separate university for Andhra as it klt
that Telugu language and jiterature was not receiving proper atten-
tion in the Madras University. Moreover the rtudeatS fiom Andhra
found it difficultto get admission into that University as it was domi-
nated by Tamils. In February 1917, B. Venkata~athiRaju moved a
resolution in the M~drar; Legislative Council for the crmti0n of a
separate university for h d h r a , nfter the end of the war. He su
"9""
that, in the meantime, additjonal colleges may be established a the
Andhra area.
In October 19-20,the Senate of the Madras University dl80 ft!t
the need to establish separate universities for the different lfnguistlc
1. Quoted in ~ ~ g e aF.c rrschick, Politics a d Social C04flk1 fn In&
Berkeley, 1969. pp. 245-46.
groups of the presidency. After the formation of the &st Justice
Ministry under 1919 reforms. M. Suryanarayana from the Visakha-
patnam district moved a resolution in the legislative council for the
c~eationof a separate University for Aadhra. Some Tamil members
opposed the resolution. C. Natesa Mudaliar raised an objection
saying that it was impossible to define Andhras or the Andhra
country. He felt that the creation of Andhra University would
weaken the non-brahmin movement. But another Tamil member
supported the resolution as he felt that the creation of Andhra
University would lead to the establishment of another Univer-
sity for the Tamil area.1 The resolution was accepted on 2 Sep-
tember 1921.2 But A.P. Patro, the Education Minister, intro-
duced a bill for the reorganisation of the Madras University. Many
Andhras felt that it was an attempt to scuttle the creation of Andhra
University. The Bill was passed. G. Vandanam, a member from
Andhra pointed out that "those of us who supported the organisa-
tion of the scheme of Madras University did so on the distinct
understanding that the Madras University reorganisation would help
us to get an Andhra University a t no distant datc."3
Finally a bill for the creation of Andhra University was intro-
duced in the legislative council on 20 August 1925 and was referred
10 the Se!ect Commitre: 4 Some members of Rayalaseerna in the
Select Committee wanted to exclude Rayalaseema from the jurisdic-
tion of the Andhra University. A member from Cuddapah, T. M.
Narasimhacharyulu moved an amendment t o exclude ceded districts
from the jurisdiction. S. Satyamurthi from Madras city wanted the
exclusion of Bellary district. T. Mallcsappa of Bellary district
wanted the exclusion of the Kannada taluks of Bellary district.= All
the amendments were voted down. There was some opposition to
the title 'Andhra University*. K.V.Reddi Naidu wanted it t o be
h w n as the Telugu University He contended that the word Andhra
smacked of Aryan origin. He declared "We lelugua have always
been recognised as Dravidians (hear, hear), and when I ask this biH
to be named after the Telugus, I appeal to my Dravidian friends.
my Tomil friends, my Kanarese friends, my Malayalam friends, not
to part with us, as dimerent from them."6 Natesa Mudaliar w h o had
tarIicr opposed the creation of a separate Andhra University, rcs-
ponding to the sentiments expressed by Reddi Naidu, declared that
"Telugus can never be separated from the Tamils ... We are Dravi-
dians and will not be separated." Ramaswami Mudaliar expressed
the hope that the new university would develop Dravidian studies &s
opposed to Sanskrit studies.' , The amendment of Reddi Naidu to
change the name of the universrty to Tetugu University was rejected
1. Madras Lwislrtive Council Proceedings, Val. IT. pp. 721-725,
2. ibM.. pp. 7 1 3-737.
3. ibid. Vol.XI1, p, 2413.
4. fbid ,Vol. Ii. pp. 7 13.737.
5, lb/dh,Vol- PP. 511 , 529 & 735.
6. Lfd., p. 122.
7. Ibid., pp. 124-125,
 ANDHRA W'MODmN P O t l T I a 115

by 26 votes to 24l. On 26 April 1926 Andhra University was inau-

gurated a t Vijayawada with jurisdiction over all the Telugu districts
of the Presidency. Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddi became the k t
Vice-Chancellor.
Locafion of the Univernity Headquarters
Andhra University began its career with a great controversy over
i the headquarters and did great damage to the already
the l o ~ t i o t of
strained relations between the Circars and Rayalaseema. The Andhra
University Act mentioned Vijayawada as the headquarters of the
administrative offices of the university. I t was proposed to make
Rajahmundry as the centre of the teaching departments. As the
location of the administrative offices and the teaching departments
in two different places was likely to hamper thc caiciency of the
university, it was decided by the government on 7 April 1927, to
recommend the Senate of the University to shift the teaching depart-
ments to Vijayawada. This led to a great controversy. Many mem-
bers of the legiplature gave notices to amend the Act and suggested
different towns for the location of the headquarters nnd the teaching
departments. The Rayalaseema leaders wanted the location of the
hcadquarters in their area. The Andhra University Senate responded
to tht desire of the Rayalaseema and voted by 35 to 20 to meke
Anantapur the headquarters of the university. It also recommended
tho establishment of the first grade college in the university area. The
Select Committee of the Madras Legislative Council also endorsed
the choice of Anantapur. When it appeared that tke controversy
had been resolved to t I ~ esatisfaction of all, Dr. Subbaroyan, the
Chief Minister revived the controversy in September 1928 by sug-
gesting Rajahmundry as the hcadp uarters. This led to the revival
of regional controversies and many' suggestions were made to makt
Viiavawada. Raiahmundrv and Visakbaoatnam the beadauarters.
lnddecember 19i8, ~ubba;o~ao'sp v e r n i e n t made another' sugges-
tion to locate the headquarters at Visakhapatnam. Tt also suggested
that the university should be of a u.~itarytype implying thereby that
the existing colleges in the Andhra University area would be rwffi-
liated to the Madras University. To add to the controversy Bollins
Munuswamy N ~ i d uof Chittoor introduced another amendment to
exclude Rayalaseema from the juri.diction of the Andhra University.
FinalJy the Legislature nccepted the amendments making Visakha-
patntlm as the headquarters of the university and excluded Rayala-
seema from its jurisdiction.
The controversy over the headquarters of the Andhra Universitg
created such ill-feeling between the Circars and Rayalageema that it
delayed the formation of Addhra province by stvcral years. One
nwd not be surprised at the partisan attitude of Dr. S u b b a r o ~in
this sordid controversy if we remember that many membem from
Andhra voted in favour of the no-confidence motion against hL
ministry in August 1927.
1. Ibld,, p, 129.
116 HISWRY OF MODERN ANDIIBA

The D d m e of the Justice Party

I t has been noted already that under the Reforms of 1919, elec-
tions were held in 1920 and that the Justice Party came t o power i n
the Madras Presidency. Soon after the elections, the party began to
disintegrate. The party leaders like Tyagaraja Chetti and Raja of
Panagal were accused of Telugu bias. Many Tamil members of the
party Iike Netesa Mudaliar felt that the party had done nothing t o
ameliorate the condition of the poor classes, especially barijans. In
the elections of 1923, the party could win gnly 44 seats as compared
to 63 it won in 1920. It could form the ministry only with the sup-
port of the nominated members. On 28 November 1923, C.R.Reddi,
the Madras University representative in the Council and a f ~ r m e r
Justice member brought a no-confidence motion against the millistry.
The resolution was defeated, but it clearly showed that the Justice
Party was not its former self, The party sustained a scrloss blow
with the death of Tyagaraja Chetti on 28 April 1925. The party
could not prevent the rise of the Swaraj Party which begarl t o domi-
nate the national scene after the suspension of the non-co-operation
movement in 1922. I n the 1926 elections, the Swarajists won 41
seats as against 22 won by the Justice Party. There were as many as
34 independents. The leaders of the Swargj Party in the Council,
C.V.S. Narasimha Raju refused the Governor's invitation to form
the Ministry since his party was against accepting ofice. The Justice
Party leader, the Raja of Panagal also expressed his inability to form
the ministry in the face of the opposition from thc Swarajists. Finally
q ministry headed by an independent candidate Dr. P. Subbaroy?n
was formed. On 16 December 1928 the Raja gf Panagal died. With
his death the Justice Party lost one of its great stalwarts. I t W?S
really the end of the party though in 1930 and again in 1936 1t
famed the ministry under B. Munuswami Naidu and the Raja of
B ~ b b i lrespectively.
i
The 'Sri Bagh Pact'
The controversy over the headquarters of the Andhra University
had confinned the suspicions of the people of Rayalaseema that they
may not get fair treatment in the Andhra province. In order to
protect the interests of Rayalaseema an organisation known as
Rayalaseema Mahasabha was formed in 1934 by Justices like C.L.
N a r a s b h a Reddi, K. Subrahmanyam and others. The first session
of the Rayalaseema Mahasabha was held a t Madras on 28 January
1934 Nemali Pattabhirama Rao of Cuddapah presided over the
confcrenoe which was opened by S. Satyamurtbi who wan well known
for his anti-Andhra bias. The conference, however, opposed the
attempts made by the legislators of the coastal districts to extend
the jurisdiction of the. Andhra University over Rayalaseema. By
another resolution the conference demasded the rept ti on of Sri yen-
btcswara [ J ~ v e r s i t yai Tirvpati. N o prominept Congressmen from
Rayalaseema attended the conference.
- The (Madras), 26 January 1934.
 AND- LN MODBRN POLITICS 117

The second session of the conference was hala at Cuddwah in

the first week of September 1935, Importaat Congress leaders of
Rayakeema like K. K o t i Reddi, G. Harisarvofhama Rao and P.
Kamaohari did not attend it. The conference failed to make any
impact on the people. The leaders of the Rayalaseefia Mah~abha.
like Narasimha Reddi and Subrahmanyam wnteited the c1or;tios of
1937 and were defeated. by Congress candidates.
In the 1937 elections the Congresd came out lrlumphant and it
assumed office on 14 July 1937 under fha leadership of C. Rajago-
palachariar. Soon after the elections, the h d l u a s infeosified ?heir
demad for a separate province. Dr. Pattabhi Sitararrra$ya who
became the President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee in
August 1937 wanted the All Indja Cangress Committee to passa
ruulution for thc orention of Andhra province. G. Brahma ya,
Buluru Sarnbamurrby and other laader also intensified thcit' e d r t s
to secure the province at an early date. Andlira leaders were dow
able to con~cntrateon the probbms affecting them most since their
minds were not distracted by international issues and national prob-
lems. The citizens of Vijayawada decided to invite the Andhra
Mabasabhsl to hold its Silver Jubilee Scssioo in their town. Every-
where there was a new sense of urgency and the leaders of the Cir-
cars realised the need to enlist the co-operation of Rayalaseema in
order to get their long cherished demand fulflled.
The ativities of the Andhra.leadars did not go bmoticed by the
great Tamil leader Sri Chakrevar&i Rajagopalacbariar. Barlier in
May 1935 he announced his retiremem from active public life. But
the Congress Higb Command prevailed upon him to contest the
elections from the doubly safe university constituency. Many Aadh-
ras Felt tbat this was done to prevent Prakasam from becoming the
premier of Madras. 'Prabhuddho Andhm' (Awakened Andhra) an
outspoken Telugu monthly edited by Sripada Subrahmanyam in its
issue of September 1937 very bluntly said that Prakasa~uwas not'
allowed to become premier since Gmdhiji disliked kdhras becorn-
i'ng great.
When Rajagopalachatiat became the premier ba by a very clever
move set at nought the efforts of the Andhra leaders to forge unity
between the Circars and Rayalaseerna. Wbilc constituting his cabi-
nrt he included P r a h a m , Bezawada Gopala Reddi and V.V. Giri,
a11 hailiag from Coastal Andhra, as ministcts. The Rayalaseana
distrjws were not given any representation. NaturaUy ,Rayalnseema
became very sore and felt that it was let down by the Cucar leadera
who had not Insisted on t t e inclusion of the &ityalaseerna represen-
tatives in the cabinet. Noticing the riff Befweeu l&yalasteaba and
the Circars, the Tamil leaders f i b , Rajagopalachariaf, Saatyamprt$
aad 'I:S, S. Rajan openly s p b b gainst Amihrh ptovinca fhs
made Pafkbhi nlske the prophedc re&ark b ~ t
the British wouId grant ua indepmdtnoe sooner thar thc Tamil
M,i&&rs would,giVemi a S Q W ~ ~ W P ~ Q ~ O ~ . ~ '
b &t&a $5 OletoW'r 193%
Aolr~;k;~,
118 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

In this atmosphere of suspicion and disillusionment, the Silver

Jubilee session of the Andhra Mahasabha was held at Vijayawada
towards the end of October 1937. The session was inaugurated by
Halaharvi Sitarama Reddi and presided over by Kadapa Koti Reddi
both M.L.As from Rayalaseema. They gave vent to the suspicions
of Rayalaseema and appealed to the Circar leaders to win back the
confidence of Rayalaseema by providing safeguards to that region.
The safeguards related mainly to tlie location of the capital, parity
of representation in the ministry between the Circars and Rayala-
I
1

I
seenia and the execution of irrigational projects, like Tungabhadra. 1
The Circar leaders appreciated the genuine fears of the Rayala- (
seema people and decided to provide the safeguards they demanded.
The Circar leaders remeinbered how due to their pre.occupation with
aational affairs the genuine Telugu areas like Parlakimedi, Berham-
pore, Cbatrapur, and Jeypore agency were lost to Orissa when it was
i
made a separate province in (936. They felt that the time has come
to put an end to the dissensions among the Telugu people and make
an all out efTort to secure Andhra province.
On 16 November 1937, the leaders of the Circars and Rayala-
seema including Konda Venkatappakth, Desiraju Hanumantha Rao,
K. Koti Reddi, H. Sitarama Reddy, Katlur Subba Rao and G.
Harisarvothama Rao met a t 'Sri Bagh' the Madras Residence of K.
Nageswarn Rao of Andha Potrika and signed a n agreement known
popularly as the 'Sri Bagh' Agreement. The agreement provided:
University: That two University Centres are to be developed under
the Andhra University, one at Waltair and another at
Anantapur so as lo distribute the Centres of Culture
over the Andhradesa and create opportunities for Social
and Cultural intercourse amongst the h d h r a s and locate
colleges In areas favourable to the subjects dealt with.
Irrigation: hatt to ensure the rapid de\elopment of Agricultural
and Economic interests of Ravalascema and Nellore to
the level of those in the coattal districts, schemes of
irrigation should, for a period of tea years or such longer
period as conditioils may necessiak, be given preferential
claim, specially in respect of the utiljzation of the waters
of Tungabbadra, Kristina and Pennar, giving for ten
years exclusive attention in respect of major projects
beneficial to these areas.
That whenever the question of sharing waters arise, the
needs of the before said areas be first met, and that this
policy be implemented as from today in the adminis-
tratiou of the province, (and)
Legislafure: That in the matter of general scats in the Legislature,
the distribution shall be generally on an equal district
basis.
It is agreed that the location of the University, the
Headquarters and the High Court may advantageously
 h N D I E l A IN MODERN POLITICS 1 19

be in different places as not to eoncentrate all civjl

importance at the same centre.
Accordingly it is agreed that while the University may
continue to be where it is, the High Court and the
ibfetropolis be located in suitable places in the Coastal
districts and Rayalaseemu, the choice being given to
Rayalascema.
It shall, however, be open to vary thcsc terms by com-
mon consent.
After the signing of the 'Sri Bagh' pact the Andhra members of the
Madras Legislature requested the premier to sponsor a resolution on
Andhra province. Rajagopalachariar whose anti-Andhra proclivities
Wcre well known, outwitted the Andhra members by mnking the
Madras Legiqlature pass a comprehcnsivc resolution for the creation
of Andhra, Tamil, KeraIa and Karnataka provinccs. K.V. Rsddi
Naid u's amendment, for the immediate creation of Andhra province
as a first step was rejected. The Madras Governmcnr forwarded
the resolution of the Government of India on 21 April 1938. Mean-
while on 2 May, the British Government announced in the House of
Commons that no new provinces would be created in India, This
announcement shocked the Andhras. Many suspected that the
British Government's attitude might have been influenced by Rajago-
palacharisr's advice. Bulusu Sambamurthy, Spcaker of' Madras
Assembly wanted to resign his position and take active part in the
agitation of Andhra province. The Congress High Command ordered
that no Congressman should take pnrr in the agitation. He bowed
down to the dictates of the High Command. On 25 March 1939
Rajagopalacbariar informed the Madras Assembly that the Secre-
tary of State For ladia turned down the request for the creation of
Andhra, The Second World War broke out in Scptembtr 1939 and
the Congress ministers in the provinces ~csignedin November 1939.
The question of Andhra province once again receded into the back-
ground.
Sir Vijaya and the Andhra Mabasabha
Andhra Mahasabha for all practical purposes became an ineffec-
tive organisat~on as it was dominated by Congressmen. But &er
the Failure of the Congress attempts to secure a separate province,
many Andhras felt that t l ~ cAndhra Mahasabha should be revitalixd
by inducting non-Congressmen into the organisation. IIL N o v e m k
1941, the Andbra Mahasabha met for its annual session at Viaakha-
patnam. It was presided over by Sir Vijayaaand of Vijayanagaram
who used to reside at Banarns. He was popularly known as Sir
Vijaya and was known for his interest in cricket. H e commanded
good influence among the official circles and native princes. In 1937
election hc deFeated a Congress candidate in U. P. After Sir Vijaya
became the Pre~ident. Andhra Mahasabha became very active. Sir
Vijaya first turned bis attention towards removing the lingering
suspicion among the people of Rayalaseema. Here it may be pointed
120 HlSTOBY OF MODERN A N D W

out that after the conclusion of 'Sri Bagh' pact many of the Raya-
laseema leaders favoured the formation of Andhra province, but in
1938, some Telupu people of BeUary like R. Suryanarayana Rao,
N.M.Sastry organised a new Rayalaseema Mahasabha. It met for
its first session at Adoni. It opposed the creation of Andhra pro-
vince on administrative, political and financial grounds.
Sir Vijaya toured Rayalaseema and coUccted funds for the famine
stricken people of the area. He also interviewed the Governor to
sanction more funds for famine relief. Sir Vijaya met the British
administrators and brought to their notice the grievances of the
Andhras. On 2 April 1942 he met Sir Stafford Cripps and sub-
mitted to him a memorandum for the creation of Andhra province.
lu 1943. the Andhra Mahasabha met for its annual session a t
Ballary. Sir Vijaya suggested that in the election to the legislatures,
Andhras should elect only those candidates who pledge to work for the
creation of Andhra province. In other words he wanted to make
Andbra Mahasabha a political organisation. The Second World
War came to an end in 1945. In April 1946 elections were held and
Congress assumed ofice in Madras Presidency. Sir Vijaya resigned
his presidentship of Andhra Mahasabha due to ill health towards
the end of 1946. With h i s resignation the activity of the Andhra
Mahasabha came to an end.
 Political Awakening in
Telengana
Wbite the TeIugus of the Madras Presidency became politimlly
very active during rhe years following Vandemataram Movement,
their brethren in the Hyderabad State became politically con-
scious only during 1920s. A small incident spurred the Andhras of
the Hyderabad State to organist themseiveu. On 11 and 12 Novcm-
ber 192 1, the Nizam State Social Coderence was held at Hyderabad
under the Presidentsbip of Maharshi Karve, the great social reformer
of Maharashtra and of the founder of S.N.D.T.Women's University.
The proceedings of ithe conference were conducted in EngIish,
Marathi and Urdu. When one of the delegates Atampalli Vmkata
Rama Rao, a leading lawyer of Hyduabad city rose to speak in
Tclugu on e rcsolutioh, a section of the audience &outed him down.
The TeIugu audience felt insulted at this incident. It opened their
eyes t o the true position of Telugu language in the premier city of
Telengana. So that very night itself they formed an afsociation allad
the 'Andhra Jana Sangham' with eleven members including 'Andha
Pitamaha' Madapati Banurnantha Rao, B, Ramakrishna Rao, M.
Narasinga Rao and Adicaju Vcerabhadra Rao. Soon the member-
ship incrcasdd to more thaa LOO. The first meeting of the Sangham
was held at Hyderabad on 14 Feburary 1!Z2 under tho presidonbhip
of Kanda Venkatu R a g a Reddy. At this meeting the name of the
Sangham was cheng~d as N i m State Aodhm Jm~aSangham.
Mid~pati Hanumantha Rao who was chosen as the Secretary of the
Sangham guided its destinies and did yeomen service for the oulhrral
up13 of the kndhrar, of Tkhguna.
The Andha Jam Sangham aimed at the social, economic and
aItursl revival of the people of Teleng~a. To coordinate the advj-
ties of the different Andbra Asaociatlons in Telengana a-cenrtal
mganisation known as Andhra Jana Kendta Sangham was @me&
Madapati Hanumantha Rao was the Secretary of this central orgmi-
plfiqg, The Central Association pnblisbed pampbteta entitled
Fefti&&rst and Vadaka &wgbm. The programme of Ute*Cn!ral
k~ssociationiacludd Phe a p c d g of the '6elaga school&lihrarios,
122 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

publication of Telugu books, and promotion of historical research.

Important books like Nizarn A d l ~ r a R a ~ l ~ f rProsamso.
a Nizarn
Rasl~fraAndhrulit etc., were published. The first rour conferences of
the Sangham were held at Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Madhira a n d
Suryapet during the years 1923, 1924, 1925 and 1928 respectively.
The Library Movement in Telengana co-ordinated its activities
with the Kendra Sangham. But after the first jibrary conference
held In 1925 the Goveriiment became suspicious of its aims and did
not permit the holding of the second conference in 1926. The Jana
Sangham formed a historical research society called Lakslrnlana Rajas
Pari~hodaka Mandali in honour of Kommaraju Lakslmana Rao,
who as noted earlier was responsible for the establishment of
Krishnadevaraya Andhra Bhasha Nilayam at Hyderabad and also
the Vignana Chandrika Mandali. I n 1930 a conferencc of historians
and scholars was held at Warangal to discuss the 'History of Kaka-
tiyas'. A journal called Kakafiya Sottchika was brought out contain-
ing many research articles on the history and culture of thc Andhras.
From 1928 onwards the Jana Sangham evinced interest in the
education of women by opening Andbra Balika High School a t
Hyderabad. The first batch of girls studying in Telugu medium
appeared for the matriculation examination in 1934. As the Osma-
nia University refused to recognise the institution, the students took
the examination at Karve Institution, Bombay.
Formation of Nizam Andhra Mabasabba
Whiie the Telugu lwdcrs of the Madras Presidency were ignoring
their immediate problems, the Andlua leaders of Telengana took
steps to safeguard their interests. In 1930 the Andhra Jana Sangham
at its conference at Jogipeta in Medak district converted itself into
h d h r a Mabasabha. The Hydera bad Government suspected that
the Sabha had sinister designs to disintegrate the State. It felt that
the name 'Andhra' was full of dangerous possibilities. But the
Telengana leaders stuck to the word 'Andhra' and refused t o substi-
tute it by Telugu or Telengana. The first session was presided over
by Suravaram Pratapa Reddi. Along with this session a women's
conference called Andha Mahila Sabha was also held. The second
conference was held at Devarakona in 1931 under the presidentship
of 3.Ramakrishna Rao. In this conferencc most of the delgaten
spoke in Tclugu, showing thereby that the efforts of Andhra Jana
Sangham to foster Telugu language in Hyderabad State had not
gone i n vain. After the second conference the Hyderabad
Government adopted a hostile attitude towards the Sabha. It took
three years for the Sabha to get permission to hold its third annual
conference a t Khamrnam in 1934. Apart from the Government
many reactionary elements also tried to disrupt the conference, but
due to the tact of Madapati Hanumatha Rao every thing went off
well. Pulijala Venkata Ranga Rao presided over the conference.
The fourth conference of the Sab,ha was held at SiriciIh in 1935
under the presidentship of Madapatr Hanumaatha Rao. His wife
 Manikyamma presided over the Mzhilasamajam Cofifcrence. The
fifth conference was held at Sbad Nagar under the presidenbhip of
Konda Venkataranga Reddy.
Formation of Hyderabad State Congress
After the sixth conference of the Andhra Mahasabha held at
Nizamabad, some of the political workers of the Sabha and Ieaders
of the other linguistic regions of the State decided on 29 January
1938 to form tlic Hyderabad State Congress. The moving spirit
behind this decision was Swami Ramananda Tirtha- A provincial
cornmilrec oonsisting of D.Rarnakrishnn Rao, Ravi Narayana Reddy,
Kasinatha Rao Vaidyn, Ramakrishnn Dooth etc., was formed. It
was decided to hold the general body meeting of the Hyderabad
State Congress on 9 September 1938. Sir Akbar Hyderi, the Prime
Minister of Hyderabad banned the State Congress. So the State
Congress decided to ofes Satyagraha from 24 October 1938. A
working committee with Govindn Rao Nanal as the president and
Ramakrishrla Dooth as secretary was formed. At the same time the
Arya Samaj also offered Satyagrahn against the suppression of
Hindu religious liberties. Towards the end of December, Gandbi
intervened and advised the State Congress workers to give up their
Satyagraha. The ban on the State Congress however continued.
Vnndemataram Movemeot
The political agitation io the State affected the Hindu students of
t h t Osmania University also, who began to sing the Vandmataram
song in their prayer hall on the cve of the Dussera celebrations
in 1 938. When this was objected to by he university nuthoritics tho
studenks went on strike from 29 November to 10 December 1938,
The strike spread to districts also. 350 students wcre expelled and
wcre not permitted to take their examinations. But the Naspur
University came to their rescue and allowed them to take the exami-
nations.
Split in Nizam Andhra Mahaaabba
Frolo 1941 onwards the Andhra Mahaqahha came undertho
Leadership of leftists. The seventh conference of the Sabha took
place at Malkapuram (Hyderabad district) in 1940 under the presi-
dentship of M. Kamachandra Rao. The main issue at the confer-
ence rvps proposed conrtitutional reforms in the Statc. A resolu-
tion proposing complete boycott of reforms was carried by the sup-
port of Kavi Narayana Reddy, Kaloji Narayana Rao, N.K.Rao and
Polkampnlli Venkatarama Rao. A4 amendment seeking the deletion
of tile reference to boycott. proposed by the moderates like K.V.
Ranga Reddy, M. Htlnumantha Rao, Pulij~laVenkataraega Rao and
others was lost. This clearly i~tdicatcdthat the Sabha m e under
the influence of the leftists of the younger generation.
The eighth conference was held at Cki~akuntof Huzurnagar
Taluka in 1941 under the ppresidentship of Raw h'arayana Reddy; a
card holder of the Cornmumst Party. In his presidential address he
124 TORY OF MODERN ANDBRA

dwelled on many international and national issues. The ninth cod-

farcnce was held at D hamtrvaram (Warangal district) in 1 942 under
the presidentship of Madiraju Ramakoteswara Rao. The tenth s=-
sion was heId at Hyderabad in 1943. In a keen contest to president-
ship, Baddam Yella Reddi, lost to K.V.Ranga Reddy. One of the
resolutions requested the Government to demarcate the boundaries
of Telengana and include the Telugu talukas of e d w a l , Alampnr
and Raichur district and Kodagal with Telengana districts.
The eleventh session was heId at Bhuvanagiri in 1914 under the
presidentship of Ravi Narayana Reddq. The Sabha now came
under the control of Communists. The Andhra Communist leaders
including Chandra Rajeswara Rao participated in the conference
which was attended by more than ten thousand-a record for those
days. K.V.Ranga R d d y and M. Ramachandra Rao denounced the
session as a Communist Party meeting and organised a rivat Sabha
called the Nationalist Andhra Mabasabha. This Sabha held two
sessions in 1945 and 1946 and then decided to merge itself with its
counterparts the Maharashtra Parishad and the Karnataka Parishad
in the Hyderabad State Congress. The Sabha under the Communists
held its twelfth session at Khammam in 1945, under the presidentship
of Ravi Narayana Rtddy- More than 40.000 attended the confer-
ence. On 3 December 1946 the Communist Party was banned and
naturally tke activities of the Andhra Mahasabha also came to a halt.
 Formation of Andhra State
When lndia attained independence on 15 August 1947 the
Andhras hoped that their Iong cherished desire of a separate Andbra
province would be fulfilled soon. Their optimism was based on the
Congress election maninfesto of 1946 wherein it was declared that
the provinces of the GbtIntry would have to be constituted as far as
possible on the basis of language and culture. M a n y Andhra leaders
like Prakasam and Ranga met Sardar Patel, the Home Minister
and Deputy Prime Minister, Government of India, and requested
him to see that the Andhra province was created before the new
constitution was drafted. Pate1 promised to consider the legal im-
plications. On 27 November 1947 Prime Minister Nehru announced
that his government accepted the principle of linguistic provinces.
This led to a speculation that Andhra province would be created
by April 1948 by an order ill Council under Section 290 o f the
Government of lndia Act 1935, as adopted by the Indinn ProvinciaI
Constitutional order dated 14 August 1947, As a matter of fact
Andhra was mentioned as one of the Governor's provinces in the
first schedule. but later it was declared &at
If Andhra o r any other region is to be mentioned in the schedule
before the constitution is finally drafted, steps will have to be
taken immediately to make them into separate Governor's pro-
vinaec under Section 290 of the Goverampnt of India Act, 1935,
before the draft constitutiop is finally passed.1
This aonouncament created great disappointment among the
Andhras. The frustratian o f the Andhras was exploitd by the
non-Congress parties, particularly t t ~ tCommunist Party. When
Nthru visited Visakhapatnam in March 1948, he triad to assuage
the feelings of the Andhras by declaring lbet a Committee would
be appointed t o consider tha question of tbc creation of linguistic
provinces.
Dar Commissiop
On 17 June 1948, a Linguistic Province Committee Ws Wt up
by the Presidmt of the Constituent Assembly. The Chalrmae of
1. Draft c ~ ~ t ~ tof~xndL,
t i m propared by the Drafting CoIWitlm. f 3 m a t i t n ~ ~
of India, ~ a ~we l h i 1948.
, p. xf a d also D. 159.
 I
126 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDRRA

the Commission was S.K. Dar a retired judge of the AIlahabad High
Court. Other m+mberswere Dr. Pannalal, 1.C S. (Retd.) and Jagat
Narayan Lal, a member of the Constituent Assembly.
The Commission was asked to report what new provinces should
be created and also state 'the administrative, economic, financial
and other consequences' of the creation of new provinces. Further,
it was asked to report on administrative conscquences of the new
~rovinceson the adjoining territories.
From the terms of reference it is obvious that language alone !
was not the sole criteria for the creation of the new provinces.
Other essential requirements were administrative efficiency and
sound finance.
When the commission visited Madras, the Andhta Mahasabba
submitted a memorandum demanding rhe creation of Visalandhra.
But Sanjiva Reddi on behalf of about 20 legirlntors of Rayalaseenla
submitted a memorandum urging the postponement of linguistic
1
provhces. In case Andhra was to be formed as a separate province
he wanted statutory safeguard for Rayalaseema. The Rayalaseema
Mahasabha was represented by its BeHary spokesmen, M.N. Sastry
and H,L i n g Reddi, who while opposing linguistic provinces wanted
a separate Rayalaseema province with Madras as capital, in case the
Andhra province was formed.
The Commission sl~brnitted its report on 10 December 1948
recommending that
no new provinces should be formed for the present 1
About the linguistic provinces the Commission said:
The formation of provinces on exclusively or even mainly linguis-
tic considerations is not in the larger interests of the Indlan
Nation and should not be taken in hand.l
The Commission made the folIowing observation regarding the
enthusiasm of the people for linguistic provinces:
These linguistic provinces make a strong appeal to the imagin-
ation of our countrymen and there exists a large volume of public
support in their favour. Indeed in [he Coastal districts of
Andhra, the demand has become, in the words of one of its ,
'
leading advocates, "a passion and has ceased to be a matter of
reason," and the heat and passion and controversy, which gather- ,
ed round the work of this Commission and which we witnessed ,
during the course of our work, are in themselves proof of the
intensity of feeling which exist6 on this subject. The non-
,
fulfilment of a demand of this nature may easily lead to a sense
of frustmtian, and there is grave risk in turning it dolm, and
such a risk can only be justified in 1115 interest of national emer-
,
j

gency .a
1- Report of the Linsuistic Provinces C~rnmission,New Delhi, 1948, p. 2.
2. Ibid., para 152(1).
1'
3. lbid.. para 146.
 The report of the Commission created suchan uproar in the
country especially Andhra thaf the Congress felt it prudht to
assuage the feelings of the public by creating another committee to
consider the question of linguistic proviaces. The members of the
Committee were Jawaharlal Nehru. Vallabhbhai Pate1 and Pattabhi
Sitaramayya.
The Committee, popularly known as the J.V.P. Committee from
the initials of its. members submitted its report to the Congress
Working Committee in April 1949. It recommended the post-
ponement of linguistic provinces by a few years. However it made
an exception in the case of Andhra, provided the Andhras gave up
their claim to the city of Madras. The Congress High Command
knew very well that it was impossible for Andhra leaders to give up
their claims to the city of Madras without reviving iII Feeling between
the Cjrcnrs and Rayalaseema. Tn this connection one must under-
stand the And& politics immediately following Indian independence,
Andhra Congress Politics 1946-1953
In the Andhra Congress there were two groups centering round
the prominent Andhras. Prakasam and Pattabhi Sitaramayya.
Pattabhi after becoming the Congress President towards the end of
1948 used to interfere in h d h r a politics through his able lieutenant
Kala Venkata Rao. In the 1946 eleclions tlie Congress Party fared
very well in all Telugu districts. Prakasanl contested for the leadcr-
ship of the party, a p i n c t the wisl~csof the Congress Hi Command,
lk"
and won. He formed the ministry and included K. oti Reddi in
the cabinet as the nominee of Rayalaseema. The Rayaleseema legis-
lators who had voted en-block for Prakasanl were disappointed since
they expected two positions in the cabinet. Pattabhi group joined
hands with the Tamil legislators who did not tjkc the Andhra lender-
ship, and toppled Prakasam's Ministry in March 1947. O.P. Rama-
swami Reddiar was elected leader of the Congress Party in the Assem-
bly and he formed the ministry which continued in power till 1949.
In June I948 the Andlua Provincial Congress ~ommitt'eeelattan?
took pIace. N.G. Ranga and Sanjiva Reddy contested for the Prcsr-
dentship. Prakasam's group supported Ranga while Kala Venkata
Rao's group supported Sanjiva Reddy. Ranga was able to win the
election by a narrow margin. He realised that he must enlist the
co-opcration of Rayalaseema members. He therefore nominated
P.qmma Reddi and K. Obufa Reddy as VicePresident and Gcne-
raI Secretary of the A.P.C.C. respectively. BY this move Ranga
felt that he would be able to cot down the kduence of sanjiva
Rediy among the Reddies and also in Ra~alasccma. Here it may
be outof phcc to state that politics in Andhra after independen&
were influenced by caste and regional considerations-
In April 1949, P.S. Kumaraswami Raja and Dr. SubbaroYm
contested for the leadership o f the Madra-q.Legislative Party. Kafa
Venkata Rae and Gopala Reddi gtoup supported Kumaraswad
Raja while the Prakasam group supported SubbmoYan who loat
the e l d o n by 89 votes to 105. Lnjiva Reddy was take* into the
cabinet. While these developments were taking pIacc in Madras,
the J.V.P.Report was submitted As noted earlier, the Report
favoured the creation of Andhra province provided Andhras
renounced their claims to the city of Madras. This proviso placed the
Kala Venkata Rao-Gopala Reddi Group which contained many
legislators from Rayalasecma in a delicate position. Rayalaseema
members found it very difficult to abandon the claims to Madras city.
When Pattabhi found that the J.V.P. Report provoked violent
reaction in Andhra, he tried to explain away the proviso regarding
the city of Madras. He said that non-inclusion of Madras city in
Andhra did not mean its inclusion in Taiuil Nadu, thereby implying
that it may be made a separate administrative unit. This explana-
tion convinced none, but still A.P.C.C. requested the Government
of India to create Andhra province in~mediatelywith the u d i ~ p u t e d
Telugu districts and make Madras city a separate province. Both
the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Government of
Madras accepted the J.V.P. Report as it had vindicated their stand,
namely, that Madras city is outside the territorial limits of Andhra,
in otherwords it is a part of Tamil Nadu, The Congress Working
Committee also recommended the Government of India to take steps
for the creation of separate Andhra province.
Partition Cammittee
Madras Government took immediate steps towards the creation
of Andhra province by appointing a Partition Committee. Kumara- .
swami Raja, the Chief Minister was the Chairman of the Commit-
tee, Andhra was represented by Prakasam, Gopala Reddi, Kala
Venkata Rao and Sanjiva Reddy while non-Telugu areas were
represented by Bhaktavatsalarn, T.T. Krishnarnachari and Madbava
Menon.
DIasenting Note of Prakasam
Prakasam contended that "until the new capital and seat of
Andhra High Court were made ready the Andhra Government and
the Andhra High Court were entitled to stay on in Madras city and
c a w on al! their work inclriding that of Legislature."l The non-
Andhra members turned down this contention. They wanted the
provisional capital of Andhra to be situated within the limits of
k d h r a province and that the Andhra legislature should hold its sit-
tmg at the pravisional capital. All that they were prepared to allow
the Andbra Government was to locate some of their offices in Madras
city for a temporary period.
Prabsam, thereupon, submitted a dissenting note as he could not
agree with the majority O n an important question like the tocation of
the temporary capital, division of assets and liabilities etc,
The Government of India which was not very kern on the crea-
'ion of Andhra provhce took advantage of p1&asamvs dissenting
note and shelved the issue.
1. Tho Partition Committea %port (Madras), p. 4.
 The new Constitution of India came into force on 26 January
1950. The creation of Andbra State (in the new constitution pro-
Vlnces were called States) seemed to be outside the realm of practical
politics. The general pubIic of Andhra became sore at the attitude
of the Congress and the Government of India. But t h e h d h r a
Congress leaders who were oblivious OF the public reaction,continued
their sordid gume of petty politics. Pattabhi before relinquishing
his office oi Congress Presidentship supercedcd the Andhra Provin-
cial Congress Committee on 3 September 1950 and appointed S.K.
Patil to take over A.P.C.C. and conduct elections. The elections to
the A.P.C.C. were conducted in April 1961. Sanjiva Reddy who was
supported by the Pattabhi group defeated Range. supported by the
Prakasm group by 87 votes to 82.1 When Sanjiva Reddy became
the President of the A.P.C.C.. Prakasam and Ranga left the Con-
gress.
Swami Sitaram's Fast
Swami Sitnram (formerly Gollapudi Sitaram Sastrj) felt that he
should adopt the Gandhian technique to achieve the Andhra State.
So he began his fast unto death on independence day, 1951. Nehru
disapproved of the extra constitut~onal methods to cacrce the
Government. The fast created a highly explosive situation in Andhra
and led to bc some untoward incidents. Thereupon Acharyn Vinoba
Bhave advised the Swv~rnito give up his fast so that the whole issue
could be settled in a peaceful atmosphere. T h e Swami ended his 3 5
day fast on 20 September 1951. Nothing came out of this fast except
increasing the contempt of the people towards the Andhra Congress
leaders.
Potti Sriramuln's Fad and the Formation of Andhra State
The people expressed their resentment towards Congtas in the
General elections of 1952. In the entire Madras State the
Congress could win only 152 out of 375 seats. Jn Andhra out of
140 seats the Congress could secure only 43. The Communists Won
as many as 41 seats. Those defeated included Congress stalwarts
like Kale Venbta Rao, Gopala Reddi and Sanjiva Reddy. The
Communists and the Kisan Majdur Prnja Party {K.M.P.P.) of
Prakasarn formed themselve into a United Democratic F?t (U.D.F.).
Prakasam was elected the leader of the U.D.F whch had the
support of 164 members. Even though the U.D.F. was the largest
single g ~ o u pin the Assen~blythe Governor did not invite Prskasam
t o form the ministry. On the other hand he nominated C. ~ a j a -
gopalacharisr to the Legishtive Council and invited him to fom
the ministry.
Aftcr C. Rajagopalachariar bmame the Chief Mtoister of
Madras he tried to utilise his position to develop TamiI Nadu at
the expense of Andha. He took active interest in the K r i a a -
Pennar Project to divert the waters of Krishaa river T M Nadu,
thereby injuring the interests of Andhra. This led to a mmmdous
1 . The Hindu (Madras), 12 April 1951.
130 =TORY OF MODERN ANDHRA I
popular agitation in Aadhra against t b ~project. At the same time
the Khosla Committee which went into the technical details of the
project pronounced that "in its present forms (it) should not be
proceeded with." As an alternative it suggested the setting U P of
Nandikonda (Nagarjunasngar) Project. In Such a situation Pottl
Sriramu]u began his fast unto death on I9 October 1952 a t Madras.
When the fast entered its 50th day Nchru criticised it. Next day
in the Rajya Sabha he repeated the same old statement that the
,
Government of India will form Andhra State without Madras city
provided there is a general agreement among the parties concerned.
Sriramulu was not prepared to accept Nehru's statement and give
up his fast since he remembered that Nehru had not acted o n his
own statement during the fast of Swami Sitarnm. The fast created
an explodvc situation in Andhra and on the night of 15 December
1952 Sriramulu attained martyrdom. The news of the passing away
of Sriramulu engulfed entire Andhra in chaos. For three days
mobs raided railway stations and other government buildings.
Police had to open fire a t Anakapalle. Vijayawada and other places
which resulted in the death of seven persons. The disturbances in
Andhra opened the eyes of the Indian Government. On 19 December,
Nehru announced in the Lok Sabha that the Government of India
had decided to form Andhra Statc with undisputed Telugu districts
excluding the city of Madras.
Justice Kailas Nath Wanchoo, Chief Justice of Rajasthan High
Court was appointed as Special Officer to report on financial,
administrative and other implications of the formation of Andhra.
On 7 February 1953, Wanchoo submitted his report and on 25 M a s h
1953, NcBru announced the decision of the Government of India
to create a separate Andhra State consisting of Srikakulam, Visakha-
patnam, East Gadavari. West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore,
Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantpur and Kurnool districts and Alur,
Adoni and Rayadwg talukas of Bellary districts. He also snnoun-
ced that the question of Bellary talukas would be considered later.
The remaining talukas of Bellary districts were to be merged tvith
the Mysore State. Justice L.S. Misra of the Hydcrabad High Court
was appointed to consider the question of the Bellary tatuka. He
recommended its inclusion in Mysore State. he Government of
India accepted his recommendations.
After the announcement of the decision of Government or India,
the Ra~alaswma legislators demanded that the capital of the new
State should be within their region as per the Sri Bagh Agreement.
The question of the capitnl generated much heat and it once again
brougllt into the fore the differences between Circars and Rsyala-
seema Communists demanded the location of the capital at
Vija~awada- Sanjiva Reddy who was elected as the leadcr of the
h d h r a Congress IegisIators enlisted the co-operation of prakasam
whose K-M-P-Party had a strength of 20 members, The Krisbikar
L0k party of Ranga which had a of 15 members
decided to become associate members of Congress perty.
 FORMATlON $JP ANDHRA STATE .I31

The K.L.P.wanted Tirupati to be the capital. The Andhra

legislature met at Madras in the fxst week of June to decide on the
telnporary capital of Andhra, The Congress, P.S.P. and K.L-P.
leaders agreed on the choice of Kurnool. The Communists wanted
Vijayawada. The legislators by voice vote decided in favour of Kuc-
~001. But when the Andhra State bill was discussed in the Madras
Legislature, the K. L. P. changed its stand and wanted the capital in
Chittoor dislrict. The Communists proposed an amendment to
substitute Guntur-Vijayawada for Kurnool. The amendment was
lost by a single vote. Here it may be stated that the ChieEMinister
C. Rzjagopnlachariar suggested that no member of the residency
State should take part in the voting, but 5 non-Andbra members
voted for Kurnool. Had they followed the Chief Minister's advice
and refrained from voting, Guntur-Vijyawada would hsve become
the temporary capital of Andhra State.
Sanjiva Reddy knew that the Congress could not form the Gov-
ernment without the support of Pmkasam. The P. S. P. also wanted
to prevent the Comlnunists from coming to power. So it allowed
Prakasam to become an associate member of the Congress. Tho
Congress Party agreed to have the Ministry headed by Prakasam.
Sanjiva Reddy became the Deputy Chief Minister, C.M.Trivedi was
appointed Governor. On 1 October 1953, Nehru inaugurated the
Andhrn State.
Tanguturi Prakasam
Sbri T. Prakasam was one of the forcrnost leaders of our freedom
struegte. Through his dauntless courage and sacrifice be won
widespread admiration. Thc people of Andhra Pradcsh in pard-
culnr, have derived much inspiration from his achievements as
fighter, editor and political 1eader.l
Tanguturi Prakasam, the first Chief Minister of the Andbra
State and the most popular Andhra leader of this country wan b ~ r n
on 23 August 1872 at a village atlled Kanuparthi (then in Quntur
district). His father Gopalakrishnayya was a village headman, He
migrated to Nellore district where he secured a job of R8.8 ott a
month in the Venkatagiri estate. Prakasam bad his primary eduoa-
tion at Nayudupeta. In 1880 when Prakasam was only eight years
of age, his father died and the burden of maintaining the family
consisting of three young children fell on his mother, a couragcoue
lady with an independent bent ofmind. As she did not want to bt
a drag on her brother, she migrated to Ongole with h~ cbildren and
set up a private mess opposite the MunsiB'a court.
h a k ~ s a m continued his studies in the Government Middle
School, Ongole where he came under the Wuence of the Mathe-
matics teacher, Immaneni Hannmanthe Rao Naidu. Sri Naidu played
a very importent part in shkping the career of Prakasam, When
1. Indfra Geadhi's Message dated 9 August 1972 to "Aodhra Kcsari Pr*mm
Sara Japnthi Sdn&ikaW1.Thina h'idta Kolenu', West Godawn' DisL 1974.
132 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

Hanumantha Rao Naidu left Ongole for Rajahmundry t o join his

new post, Prakasam followed him a n d continued his studies there.
Rajahmundry was at that time a n active centre of Telugu dramas.
Popular dramas written by Chilakamarti Lakshrni Narasirriham were
frequently enacted. Prakasam was drawn towards the stage. He
along with his mentor, Hanumantba Rao Naidu took leading roles
in plays like Gayopakyanarn. Prakasam was also involved in the
quarrels of different theatre companies. l-Ie became notorious as a
"rowdy". As a result of these activities, his studies were neglected
and he failed in thc Matriculation examination. But he mmaged to
pass the examination in his second attempt. He then joined the F.A.
class in the Government Arts College, Rajahmundry. He passed
:he F.A. examination when he was 19 years of age. He wanted to
become a pleader, but was not allowed to take u p the plender's exam-
ination on the ground that he had "not yet cut his wisdom tooth."
He therefore waited for two years and joined the Madras Law Col-
Iege in 1893.
Hc started practice at Rajahniundry in 1897 and soon began to
amass a fortune. He was involved in Municipal politics and became
the Chairman of the Rajahmundry Municipality. In October 1903
be sailed for England to qualify himself as a barrister.
He returned to Tndia in 1906 and set up practice a t Madras in
1907. Mr. Justice Wallace advised Prakasam to set up practice in a
moffusil town a s he felt that an Andhra barrister cannot face the
competition from the Tamil jawyers of Mylapore. Prakasam did not
accept this advice and decided to face the competition from the
Tamil lawyers. Within two years he became a leading member of. the
Bar and usurped the entire practice relating to the Andhra distr~cts.
Prakasam began to take lively interest in the politics of the country.
Soon after he had ret up practice in Madras in 1907, Bjpjn Chandra
Pal visited that city on a lecture tour. When n o prominent citizen
mme forward to preside over the meetings of Pal, Prakasam came
forward and presided over all the nieerings of Pat i n Madras. During
tho next fourteen years be had a lucrative practice. During this
period he edited the journal "Law Times." He went to
twice to argue cases before the Privy Council.
Non-Co-operation Movement
When Mahatma Gandhi started his nan-co-operation
in [921. Prnkasam Was the first lawyer in city o f Madras to give up
his practice which was about Rs. 10,000 a month. (HC became
the President of t h e Andhra Provincial Congress Committee in 192 1
and continued in that position ti11 1934). During the course of tbe
next two decades he had spent all his fartune running into millions
of rupees in the national cause without any =pression of regret.
Swarajya
order to carry the message of the Congress lie started the
English daily called "S~arajya"on 26 October 1921 For the next
twelve years of its existence 'Swarajya' proved to be the most popular
 WRMATIONOP ANDHgA STATE 133
Q

English daily of the South, supporting the freedom struggle,

Eminent journalisrs like G.V. Krupaaidhi, Kotamaraju Rama Rao,
Kotarnaraju Punaaiah and Khasa Subba Rau served on the st&
of 'Swara jya.'
Central Assembly
When Gandhiji suspended the non-co-operation movement in
1922, many important Congress leaders like Chittaranjan Das and
Motital Nehru became unhappy and formed a new party known as
the Swaraj Parky. Prakasam joined the S~varajParty as he was more
at home with the politics of C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru. When
the Swnraj Party decided to suspend thc 'Council Boycott' and re-
enter the Councils, Prakasam contested the election and got himself
elected to the Central Legislative Assembly. His work in the Central
Assembly plensed leaders like Jinnah, Motilal and Malaviya. In 1929
he was re-elected to the Central Assembly defeating such an eminent
legisfator and statesman as Mocharla Raraachandra Rao. But be
resigned his seat when Gandhiji launched the Salt Satyagraha in
1931.
Simon Commission, I928
On 8 November 1927, the Btitish Government announced the
appointment of a Statutory Commission under the chairmanship
of John Simon to report on the working of the Reforms of 1919.
As there wns no Indian in the Commission almost all the political
parties decided to boycott it. The Andhra Mahasabha also decided
to boycott the Commission, but the Oriyas of Bcrhampore and the
Utkal Sammilnni presented memorandums to the Commission request-
ing the early formation of Orisss province.
The Municipal Councils of Tirupati, Kurnool, Vijayawada,
Eluru. Srikakulam passed resolutions in favour of boycott. Even
liberals Iike Nayapathi Subba Rao decided to boycott the Commis-
sion. On 3 February 1928, hartal was observed in almost all Andhra
towns. The Government selected Guntur and Ongole as the two
Andhra towns for the visit of the Commission. Prakasam, Ramadas
and V.V. Jogaiah issued a joint statement exhorting the Andhras and
particularly the citizens of the two towns. Ongole and Guntur to
express tbeir resentment by boycotting the Commission. When
Simon and his parly hatted a t Vijayawada railway station on thair
way to Cruntur, the peon of the municipality handed over to Simon
n sealed envelope containing the boycott resolution passed by the
Council and also a paper on which the words 'Simon, Go Back' were
inscribed. The Commission was greeted with black fiags at Guntur
and Ongole.
The Commission was scheduled b visit Madras on 26 February
1928, The Cbief Presidency Magistrate issued an order prohibiting
any kind of political propaganda. Over Madras, tha C o n g m Com-
mittees of both Andbra and Tamil Nadu bad jurisdictioo. The
Andha Proviacia1 Congress Committee decided to defy the pohi-
bitory but the Tamil Nadu Provincial Congrree Camlqittee
134 - HISKORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

decided otherwise. In spite of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee's

non-co-opemtive attitude, complete hartal was observed in Madras
on the days of the visit of Simon Commission. Earlier, T . Pra-
kasam took a leading part in Madras city in conducting propaganda
against the Commission. There were some disturbances and one
man was kiIled when the police opened fire. When Prakasam decid-
ed to visit the scene of police firing along with his f6llowefs, the
police tried to prevent him from moving forward. Thereupon he
exposed the chest to the police and declared "we are determined to
move on and have a look a t the dead body of our comrade, slloot
me if you want.*'l The police were taken aback and allowed him to
proceed. For this act of bravery, Prakasam, came to be called
'Andhra Kesari'.
Salt Satyagraha, 1930
When Gandhiji launched Salt Satyagraha in 1930, Prakasam
resigned his membership of the Central AssembIy to take part in the
movement. He made Madras city tho centre of his activities. He
along with K. Nageswara Rao Panthulu and Smt. Durga Bai Desh-
mltkh offered Satyagraha on 13 April 1930. Prakasam was arrested
and imprisoned a t Tiruchirapalli jail.
Revenue Minister
In 1937 thc Congress wo= the elections in the Madras Presidency
with an overwhelming majority. The question then was who should
be tha leader of the party, Prakasam or Rajagopalachari? Prakasam
dccidcd not to contest the election and alIow C. Rajagopalachnri to
form the government as he feIt that all Congressmen must stand
united 4ince they were forming the government for the first time.
Rajagopalachariar became the Premier of Madras and Prakasam the
Revenue Minister. As Revenue Minister Prakasam headed the
Zamindari Abolition Committee. It recommended the abolition of
the Zamindari and that the tiller of the soil should become its owner.
The recommendation could not be implemented m the Congress
resigned the office in 1939.
Quit India Movcment
During the 'Quit India' Movement, Prakasanl was arrested a t
Cuddapah Railway Station on 9 August 1942 when he was returning
to Madras from Bombay after attending the AICC Sessioe. This
was his last imprisonment aud he was in jail for three years before
he was released in 1945.
b k and Gandhfji
~
After Prakasam was released from Vetlore jail in 1945 the Andhra
public Presented him a purse of Rs.50,000. Prakasam's opponents
like Pattabhi and Kala Venkata Rao tried to make much political
capital out of this. Kala Venkata Rao reported to &ndKji that
P r a k a ~ a mwas "living on purses presented to him by public." There.
upon Gandhiji wrote to Prakasam on 3 April 1946 stating that
Prakasam was "corrupting public life."
1. A Kaleswa~aRae, Navyn A~hihramu,p. 373.
 FORMATIONOF ANDHRA WATE 135

Prakasam in his reply to Gandhiji on 9 April 1946 stated that-the

Andhra public gave him the purse "for the discharge of my obliga-
tions incurred in the service of the public and for my current out
goings but not for any other purpose." H e further stated:
1 have been discharging, all my obligations to men,to 'pitruk to
'Rishies', and to Gods: I am free. I feel that Y am one with the
nation. I do not need money. I do not enm money, 1 do not
save money. Whatever may remain after satisfying my simple
nccds, out of the monies showered upon me, from day to day
even now-though expressly for my personal and private qclus-
ive use will devolve in proper time upon the nation and w1l1 be
entrusted to the most trustworthy hands, for fhe most trust
enduring and bcneficicnt purposes.
-..I never had fcar in the past, and I am pledged to non-posses-
sioo, I do not entertain any desires or any fears for the futurenl
Premier of Madras
1n the 1946 elections, the Congress obtained an absolute majority
in the Madras Presidency. Gandhiji wmted Rajaji to become the
Premier of Madras. so he asked Prakasam not to stand for leader-
ship. Prakasam d d e d Gandhiji and won the election. He become
the Premier of Madras Presidency on 29 April 1946. His ministry
lasted only for l l months. While in office, he introducqd the Firka
Development Schernc-the forerunner of the Commuruty Develop-
mcnt Programme. Due to party intrigues he wes forced to resign on
23 March 1947.
1947-'53
M e r resigning his position as the Prernier of Madras, Prakasam's
politiul life underwent many changes. He left the Congress Party
and joined the P. S. P. (Pfaja Sacinlist Party) and later K.M.P. P.
(Krishak Majdur Praja Party) and then the Praja Party. In spitc of
changing the parties frequently, he remained an idol of the masses.
The First Chief Mhister of Andhra State
When the Andhra State was formed on 10 October 1953, the
Communists formed the single largest group. The Congress Party
therefore requested Prakasam, to head the ministry. Nahru while
inangurating the Andhra State declared that "the Andbra cabinet
has got an All Andhra Prestige now, not merely a party prestige,
because Mr. Prakaem heads it."
During his short tenure of odce of 13 months the Praksm minis.
try had many achievements to its credit like establishment of Sri
Venkateswara University at Tirupati on 2 September 1954, tho bun-
ching of Nagarjuna Ssgar Project and t h e ~ c o ~ t r u c t i0f
~ n8 barrage
on the Krishna district now named after him.
Prakasam's ministry fell on 6 November 1954 on the of
prohibition.
1. Letter of Prbkasam to Gmdhiji dakd 9.4.199. Quot+ in "Andbra Kcsari
Ptokasm Jayant1 Sanehi,'' p. 115. CfiiJl8NlJldm Golanu'
Oodavari, 1972).
136 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

h the 1955 general elections Prakasam was elected t o the Legis-

lative hsembly fraln Ongolt. He lived to see the formation of
Visalandhra on 1 November 1956. He passed away at Hyderabad
on 20 May 1957 at the ripe age of 85.
I
i
 Emergence of Andhra
Pradesh
Palice Action in Hyderabad State
Wben India became liee on ( 5 August 1947, the Nizam's Govern-
ment announced its intention to become an independent State. This
dccision upset the Hindus who wanted the Stnte to join the Indian
dominion. Meanwhile the Statc Congress under the presidentship
ofswami Ramanda Tirtha launched the 'Join India Movement'.
It may be mentioned that the ban on the Stab Congress was lifted
in April 1946, The Andhrn Mahasabha as already noted becamt
part and parcel of the Communist Party. In 1946 under the leadw-
ship of Ravi Narayana Reddy il launched the 'anti-feudal struggle'
popularly known as the Telengana Movement. To countaract these
~ctivitiesthe Ittehad-ul-Muslirnccm Party which was started in 1927
whipped the religious fanaticism of the Muslims. It raised the cry
'Anal Malik' (we are the rulers) and its storm troopers known as
Razakars terrorised tile people. Its leader Kasim Razvi boasted
that Asaf Jahi Flag would fly over the Red Fort at New Delbi.
Tbc Indian Government whose hands were full with the problems
arising out o f the partition of the country concluded with the Hydera-
bad Government the Stand-Still agreement on 29 November 1947.
The Nizam who had no intention of acceding to India violated
the Stand-Still agreement and spent a huge amount of money in
procuring arms. Further, on 10 September 1948 he sent a delega-
I tion to New York to refer the issue to the U.N.O.On 13 September,
1 India decided to take police action against the N i w ' s Government.
The Indian army entered Hyderabnd and on 17 September the
i1 Nizam's forces surrendered. On 23 September, Nizam withdrew his
:I
I complaint in the U.N.O. Major-General Choudhq who successfully
completed the police action became thc Military Governor of Hydera-
J bad State till Dwember 1949, when a senior civil servant M.A.
Vcllodi, I.C,S., was made the Chief Minister in 1950, and the Nizam
was designated as the Raj Pramukh.
The States Re-argar\htion Commlsdon (S.R.C.)
After the formation of .&ndhraState in October 1953, the demand
for the creation of other lingnisti~ states gained rnozucntum. On
 138 HISTORY OP MODERN ANDHRA

22 December 1953 Nehru announced in the Lok Sabha the decision

I
to set up B States Re-organisation Commission to examine 'objective-
ly and dispassionately9 the whole question of the re-organisation of
the States of the Indian Union. One week after Nehru's announce-
ment, the members of the Commission were named. They were
Saiyid Fazl Ali (Chairman). H.N.Kunzru and K.M. Panikkx.
The appointment of the Commission was hailed by the Andhras.
They hoped that their dream of Visalandhra wouId be reaiised since
the people o i the Hyderabad State were unanimous for the trifurca-
tion of their State. Further, the Andhras thought that all the out-
lying Telugu arcas in Mysore, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Madhya
Pradesh would be incorporated i n Visalandhra. I
Though the people of Hyderabad State were unanimous for the
trifurcation of their State, there was a difference of opinion among I
the people of Telengana regarding the future of thcir area. Some
favoured it5 inclusion in Andhra to form Visalandhra with Hydera- I
bad cily as capital. Others wanted to maintain the identity of Telen-
gana as a separate state. The Communists consistently supported
the formation of Visalandhra. All other parties including the
Hyderabad State Congress were divided in thcir opinion regarding
the desirability or othcrwjsc of Visalandhra.
After the police action of September 1948 Hyderabad State was
placed under the military government af Major Gcn. J.N. Choudbary.
I
In 1949 it was replaced by a civilian government headed by M.K.
Vellodi, I.C.S. I n 1950 four representatives of thc State Congress
I were inducted into the administration as ministers. After the police
action the menace of the Razakars was removed but the revolt of
the Communists continued. The Government of India had to dep-
loy armed forces in Telengana to suppress the revolt. By 1951 the
Communists realised their failure and agreed to give up their violence.
Thereupon the ban on the Communist Party was Iifted and in the
1952 elections the Communists contested many seats in Tclengana.
In the elections the State Congress was returned to power because
of its good showing jn the other regions of the Statt namely the
Marathi speaking Marathwada and the Kannada speaking Hydera-
bad-Karnataka. Even though in Telengana the Congress did not
secure a majority, stiil the Congress High Command wanted the
popular ministry in Hyderabad to be headed by a TeIugu man, since
Telugus formed more than 50 per cent of the State's population. As
a result B. Ramakrishna Rao became the Chief Minister,
After the police action, the demand for V i s a l a n d b pind
ground in the Circar districts. In Novcmber 1949, A. Kaleswara
Rao formed the Visalandhra Mahasabha ~t Vijayawada. slowlythe
demand for Visalandbra gained acceptance even in Telengaoa, TO-
wards the end of 1949, C. Rajagogalachariar, the Gavernor.Gcneral
of India visited Hyderabad and favoured the continuance the
State as a multi-lingued unit. ~t will be remembered, by the end of
1949 every one was hoping that the separate Andha province
be formed before the new constitution into force in January
 E m G m C B OF ANDHRA PRADESH 139
1950. By expressing hlmscU against the dismemberment of Hydem
bad State, perhaps Rajngopalachariar wanted to deny the future
*n*hra State a sizable territory and also a good capital city Hydcra-
bad. The A.P.C.C. took note of this "unprogressive attitude" and
hoped that in due course Visalandbra would be formed xith Hydew-
bad city as capital.'
When the A.I.C.C. met at Bangalore in July 1951, Kalawura
Ran raiscd the question of Visalandhra but he was snubbed by
Nehru not to indulge in 'louse talk'. l n the elections of 1952 the
Communists registered impressive victories both in Andhra and
TeIengana. In October 1953 when Andlva State was ibrrucd, the
Communists werc prevented from forming the ministry dueto .the
support of the K.L.P. and P.S.P. to the Congress. The Commun!sts
felt that in Visalandhra they would have better clrances of capturmg
Pawer, and intensified the demand for Visalandhra.
After the appointmailt of tlic S.R.C.,the demand for Visalandhra
received a big boost. IrumeJiiltcly the protagonists of separate
Telengana intensified their demand, K.V. Ranga Reddy, the Presi-
dent of the Hyderabad State Congress Committee and his nephew
Dr. M. Chenna Reddy, though originally favoured Vlsalandhro,
changed their stand and became very articulate in their support for
separate Telengana.
The S.R.C. visited Hyderabad in June-July 1954 and heard the
views of different organisetions and individuals and received memo-
randa from them. The Commission submitted its report on 30
September 1955.
The Commission recommended the disintegration of tho Hydara-
bad State since "public sentiment, both within and without the State,
is overwhelming and insistent on the need for the disintegration of
the Statc." It also added that
we are not impressed by the claim that during the [last two
hundred years a specific Deccan culture has developed in the
whole area and that this culture i s a major contribution to the
unity of India. The common culture of Hyderabad, like the
unity of this State, is something that bas been imposed from
abo~e.~
Having recurnrncnded the disintegration of Hyderabad State, the
Commission sllggestcd the incorporation of the Knnnoda speaking
districts of the State with Mysore State and the Marathr speaking
districts with Bomhsy State,
The Commission summed up the advanrage of Visalandhra thus:
he advantages of a large Andhra State including Tclengana are
that it will bring into existence a Slate of about 32 milubns with
a considerable hinterland, wit11 large water and power resources,
adequate mineral wealth and valuable raw materials. This wifl
also solve the djflicult and vexing problem of findidg a Pmment
1 . The Indi(~nErprm (Madras), 4 Januaa 1950.
2. S.R.C. Report, 1955, para 364.
140 HISTROY OF MODERN 'ANDHRA .
capital for Andhra, for the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secun-
derabad are very well suited to be the capital of ~isa1andhra.l
Another advantage of the formation of Visalandhra will be that
the development of the Krishna and Godavarj rivers will thereby
be brought under unified control. The Krisbna and Godavarl
projects rank amongst the most ambitious in India. They have
been formulated after a pralonged period of inactivity, during
which, for various technical and administrative reasons onIy anl-
cuts in the delta area have been built. Complete unification of
either the Krishna o r the Godavari valley is not, of course possi-
ble. But if one independent political jurisdiction, namely, tbat
OFTelengana, can be efrninated, the formation and implementa-
tion of plans in the eastern areas in these two great river basins
will be greatly expedited. Since Telengana as part of Visalan-
dhra, will benefit both directly and indirectly from the develop-
ment. there is a great deal to be said for its amalgamation with
the Andhra Statesn2
The Economic affiliations of Telengana with the existing Andhra
State are also not unimportant. Telengana has in years or scat-
city a sizable deficit in food supplies. The existing Andhra State
however, has normally a surplus which Telengana may be able to
use. The existing State of Andhra likewise has n o coal, but
will be able to get its supplies from Singareni Telengana will
also be able to save a great deal of expenditure on general
administration in care it is not established as a separate unit.3
The creation of Visalandhra is an ideal to which numerous indi-
viduals and public bodies, both in Andhra and Telengana, have
been passionately attached over a long period of time, and unless
there arc strong reasons to the contrary, this sentiment is entitled
to consideration.4
Regarding Telengana the Commission made the following obser-
vations:
The case for Visalandhrn thus rests on arguments which are irn-.
Prmslve. The considerations which have been ur@ in favour ot
aseparate TeIengana State are, however, not such as may be
lightly brushed aside."
The existing Andhra State has faced a financial problem of some
magnitude ever since it was crated; and in comparisonwith
TJengana, the existing Andhra State has low per capita revenue.
Telengana on the other hand is much less likely t o be faced with
hancialembarrassment. The much higher inaden,-- land
revenue in Tclengana and an excise revenue of the order of Rs.
5 crores per annum principally explains this difference. What-
ever the explanation may be, some Teleogana leaden seem to
1. i b z . , p. 104, para 311 ,
2. {bid.,p 104, para 372,
3. ibld., p, 104-105, para 373,
4. tbid., p. 105, para 374.
5. Lbid., p. 105. para 375.
 EMERGENCB OP ANDHRA PRADEStf 141

fear that the result of unification will be to exchange some settled

sources of revenue, out of which development schemes may be
financsd, for financial uncertainty similar to that with which
Andhra is now faced. Tell ngana claims to be progressive end
from an udministmtive poinf o f view, unification, it is contended
is not likely to confer any benefits on this area.'
When plans for future developments art taken into account
Telengana fears that the claims of this area may not receive ade-
quate consideration in Visalandbra. The Naadikonda and
Kushtapuram (Godavari) projects are, for example, nmoog the
most important which Tefengana or the country as a whole
uodertaken. Irrigation in the Coastal deltas of these two rivers
is, however, also beiug planned. Telengana. therefore does not
wish to lose its present iodcpeodent rights in relation to the
utilisation of the waters of the Krishna and Godavari.2
One ofthe principal causes of opposition of Visalmdhra also
seems to be the apprehension felt by the educationally backward
people of Telengana that they may be swamped and exploited by
the more advanced people of the Coastal area. In the Teiengana
districts outside the city of Hyderabad, education is woefully
backward, The result is thnt a lower qualification than in
Andhra is accepted for public service. The real fear of rhe
people of Telengana is that if they join Andhra, they will be un-
equally placed in relation to the people of Andhra and in this
partnership the major partner will derive all tbo advantages irnme-
diatcly, while Telengana itself ma be converted into a colony by
the enterprising Coastal Andhras. K
After examining the case for Visalandhra and separate Telengana
the Commission felt that "the advantages of the formation o f Visal-
andhra are obvious" and that "nothing should be done to impede
the realization of this goal."'
But i t came to the conciusion that:
It will be in the interest of Andhra as well as Telengana, if, for
the present, the Telengana area i s constituted i n ~ oa separate
State, which may be known as the Hyderabad State, with the
provision that its unification with Andhra after the General
efections likely to be held in or about 1961. if by a two-thirds
majority the legislature of the residuary Hyderabad State expra-
ses itself in favour of unification. The State af Hyderabad (as
we should prefer to call this unit) to be con~titutedfor the time
being, shuuld consist of the following districts, namely, Mahbab-
nagar, NaIgonda, Warangal including Khemmem, Karimoagar,
Adilabad, Niz~mabad. Hyderabad, Medak and Bidar ahd the
Munagale enclave in the Nalgonda district belonging t o the
Krishna districts of the existing Andhra State.=
1. ibfd.. p. 105. para 376.
2. /bid.. p. 105. pata 377.
3. Ibid,, p. 105, para 378.
4. fdlrl... p. 106, para 382.
5. ibid., p. 108.
142
Gentlemen's Agreement
HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA
II
I
The S.R.C. Report favouring the creation of Telcngana led to
intensive lobbying by both the advocates of Tetengana and Visalan-
dhra. The Communists reacted quickly and announced that they
would resign their seats and contest the elections on that issue.
Telengana Congressmen also joined the issue. K.V.Ranga Reddi
and M. Chenna Reddi hailed the recommendation of the S.R.C.
But a majority of the Congress legislators from Telengana and 7 out
of ten District Congress Committees supported Visalandhra, In the
Hyderabad Legislative Assembly the issuc was raised. In the 174
rnernbcr house, 147 members expressed their views. OF this 103 sup-
ported Visalandhra and only 29 wanted Telengana and 15 remained
neutral.* In Andhra almost all leaders favoured Visalandhra.
Only Ranga on an earlier occasion opposed Visalandhra.
The recommendations of the S.R.C.tvere not well received by the
public. Except Kerala and Mysore all other regions were sore as
their expectations were not fulfilled. In many parts of the country
the advtrst public reaction led to violence. Many doubted the wis-
dom of having linguistic States. The Chief Minister of West Bengal
and Bihar suggested the merger of their States to form one bi-lingual
onit. Many hailed their decision as thc right step to preserve the I
unity of the country. In the South C. Rajagopalachariar floated the
idea of Dakshina Pradesh by merging Madras Statc, Kerala and
Mysore. These suggestions provoked further violent reactions in
different parts of the country. The Congress High Command was
taken aback. I t disowned the idea of bi-lingual and multi-lingual
State as quickly as it had accepted.
Finally .the Congress High Command accepted Visalandhra.
Their decinon weTe partly influenced by the arEumccnts of B. Rama-
krishns Rao, Chief Minister of Wyderabad State jn favour of Visal-
andhm. The hard core of Telengana protagonists like K.V. Ranga
Rcddi and M. Chenna Reddi however struck to their demand for
separate Telengana. In order to prevent misunderstanding between
the two regions of Andhra and Telengana, the Congress High Com-
mand arranged a meetiug of the lenders of the rqions at Delhi on
20 February 1956.
Andhra was represented by B. Gopala Reddy (the Chief Minister
of Andhra State), N. Sanjiva Reddi, G. Latchanna (Ministers of
Andhraj and A. Satyanarayana Raju, President of A.P.C.C. Telen-
gana was represented by B. Ramakrishna Rao (Chief Minister of
Hyderabad State), K.V. Ranga Reddy, and M. Chenna Reddy
(Ministers of Hyderabad State) and J.V. Narasinga Rao, President
of the Hyderabad Congress Committee. The meeting in an
agreement over the formation of Visalandbra by providing certain
safeguards to Telengana.
,411 the eight participants affixed their signatures t o the accord
Popularly known as ‘Gentlemen's Agreement.' ~t will be seen t b t
all tb eight members belonged to the Congress Party and n o non-
Congress leadm was associated with the Agreement.
1, The Indlnn Erpre~s(Madras), 5 December 1955,
 EMmGl?!'JCB OP ANDHRA PRADESR

Terms of the Agreement

1. The expenditure on the Ce
the State should be borne propor
balance ofincome from Teftngana should be reserved for exptndi-
ture on the development of Telengana area. The arrangement wiIl
be reviewed after five years and can be continued for another five
Years if the Tclengana members of the Assembly so desire.
2, Prohibition in Telengana shouId be fmplcrntnted in the man-
ner decided upon by Assembly members of Telengana.
3. Existing educationnl facilities in Telengana should be secured
to the students of Telcngana nnd further improved. Admission in
technical institutions in Telengana to be restricted to the students of
Tclcngana or they should have I/3rd seats in the whole of the State
whichever is more favourabje to Telengana.
4. Retrenchment In services should ba proportionate from both
regions if it becomes inevitable due to integration.
5. Future recruitment to services should be on the basis of the
Population of the regions.
6. The position of Urdu in tho administrative and judicial
structure existing in Tclengaoa may continue for five years when the
Regional Council will review the position, For recruitment to
scrviccs knowledge of Telugu should not be insisted upon but they
should pass a prescribed Tclugu test in two years after appointment.
7. Somc kind of domicile rules, c . ~ . ,residence for 12 years
should be provided in order to assure the prescribed proportion to
recruitment of services from Telengana area.
8. Sale of agricultural land in Tclengana area to bc controlled
by the Regional Council,
9. A Regional Council to be set UP for Telongana for its all-
round developmcnt.
10. The Regional Council to lmve 20 members, 9 members from
M.L.As. one of each djstrict elected by district's mcmbers scpara-
tely. 6 members of the Assembly or Parllament elected by Tclen-
gana M L.As.,5members from outside elected by Telengana will be
members.
1 I . Regional Council will be a Statutory body empowered to
deal with aad decide about
a) matters mentioned above and those relating to pk~nningand
development, within the general plan and recruitment of
services in so far they relate to Telengana area. If there i s
a difference of opinion batwen Regional Council and the
State Government reference may be made to Oovernmeat of
India for final decision.
b) unless revised earlier by agreement, this agreement he
reviewed at the end of ten YcWgd
 144

12.
HISTORY OF MODWN ANDHRA

Cabinet Ministers should be in proportion to 60:40. Out of

iI
1

Telengana Ministers one will be a Muslim.

13. If the Chief Minister is from Andhra, Deputy Chief Minis-
ter shouId be from Telengana and vice-versa. Two out of I
following five portfolios should go to Telengana, viz.,(a) Holne;
(b) Finance; (c) Revenue; (d) Planning and Development; and '
(e) Commerce and Industry.
14. President, Hyderabad Congress Committee, wanted separate
P.C.C.for Telengana upto 1962, A.P.C.C. President has no objec-
ti0n.l I
From ths nbove,it will be seen that the Andl~ia leaders went
more than half way to meet the genuine demands of Teleagnna peq-
ple. The Government of India gave statutory support to the provl-
sions of the Agreement by incorporating them in the State Re-organ-
isation Act. In the draft bill the new State was named Andhra-
Telengana. Andhra leaders raised objection to the name as it under- ,
Iined the difference bttween the two regions, so the joint select corn-
mittee amended it us 'Andhra Pradesh',
On 1 November 1956, Nehru inaugurated the new State. Sanjiva
Reddy became the first Chief Minister and C.M.Trivedi the First
Governor.
T h e Borders of Andbra Pradesh
Andhra laid claims on the outlying Tclugu territories in Orissa,
t Madhya Pradesh, TamiInadu and Karnataka. These States in their
turn claimed certain areas in Andhra,
Andhra and Orissa
When Orissa was formed, in 1936, some of the Telugu majority
areas of Ganjam district and Visakhapatnam district were tagged On 1
to that province. From that time onwards Andhras of those regions

i
began to agitate for the reinclusion of those arcas in Andhra, as they
wffe not happy with their position in Orissa. The Dar Commission
took note of this and pointed out:
One thing is certain. The Telugus, who have been transferred to
Ori~Saarc very unhappy and their candition is the best illustra-
tion of the spirit of intolerance wbich linguistic provinces breed
and of the danger which lurks behind thern.2
AS far as Ganjarn district was concerned Andhrs laid claim to (1)
a coastal belt about forty-mile long and ten to fifteen mile broad by
the side of Bay of Bengal. (2) the plain portion of the parlakemedl
estate including the town of Parlakimedi. As regards Koraput dl&-
trict they claimed the whoIe of it on the round of 'trnding &ilia-
tions' with Some parts of the State. S.R.C.
to Koraput district saying that
Aadhra claim
I
Koraput is a district in which the Oriya majority is absolute...and
there is n o case for regarding it as an Andl~raarea. The trading
1. Text of the kreemcnt taken from 'RPgionrrliem in Ind/og,by G.R.S. Reor
(NewDelbi), 1975, pp. 1!6-137.
2- Report d tho Dar (lomm~sslon,para 30.
 HMBRGENCBOF ANDEIRAPRADESB 145

affiliation are also not such as to justify the d i s t ~ t b a n cof~the

existing position.1
The Commission rejected the Andbra claims on Gaajam district
stating that
The Parlakimedi pocket was considered together with the ParW-
mcdi hill artas at the time that this portion was traqsferred to
Orissa, and although the main ground for this transfer was that
the preference of the Raja of Parlakimedi for Orissa deserved to
be considered with sympathy, the transfer was also p ~ t l f i On~d
linguistic grounds. The Berhampore tract was likewise estabhsh-
e d at that time to be clearly within the area of Oriya mfluencc.
There is little reason to upset these decisions now.a
The Commission further stated that
In the entire district of Ganjam of wbicb these two areas form
Part. Oriya is the predominant language and Telugu is spoken
only by about 15 per cent of the peoplt.8
e r e it may be stated that the Andhras never claimed the entire die
trict of Ganjam. Their claims were confined only to two talukas of
Berhalnporc and Parlnkimedi, where the Telugus predominate.
not be out of placc to mention here that at thc time of the form-
atton of Ocissa in 1936. ~eluguswere in a majorrty in Berhamporc.
It was included in Orissa as South Orissa lacked a suitable b a d -
quarters town. Likewise Parlakimedi which had an overwhclmlng
Telugu hajori!y was included in Orissa to* satisfy the whims ?f the
Oriya Raja of Parhkimcdi. The Oriyes la their counter claim on
Andnra demanded areas in Srikakulam district. right upto the
Vamsadhara River. The S.R.C. turned down th~sclaim as "the
Telugu majority in Srikakulam district, from which portions have
been claimed for Orissa, is as high as 89 pw cent."4
hdhra and Mysore
For the purpose of settling the claims of different & e+
r the
Commission stated thet it had adopted "tbe district as the basic unit
for making territorial re- adjustment^."^
Kolar district of Mysore had a Tclugu majority of 54 per cent
while the Kaanada spe&iag population was only 21 p a cent. Nor-
mally the C~mmission ought to have recommended the transfer of
that district to Andhra, but jt rtcommeoded its retention in Mysore.
Regarding Bellary the Commi~sjonaccepted the plea of the
h d h r a Government for its inclusion in Andhra State. The Com-
mission commented that
There seems to be great deaf of force in contention put
on behalf of the Andhra Governmenf that in view of the cornmu-
niution and other links of Bcllary with the rest of Rayala-a
1. S.R.C. Report. para 740.
2. ;bid.. para 741.
, 3. {bid, para 742.
1. ibld., pmra 744,
5. ibM,,para 291.
 I
'
HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHR A

and the dependence of Bcllary town on the existing Andbra

rather than Mysore in the matter of trade and sommersc, these
talukas have much closer relation wiih the Andhra State than w!th
Mysore. Bellary was administered as a part of the composite
!
State of Madras for more than one hundred and fifty years, dur-
ing which it had developed into a sort of unofficial capital for
the entire Rayalaseema area,l 1
Further, I
Bellary town continues to be connected with all the district head-
quarters of Rayalaqeema by rail and road and it is nearer to
Kurnool than t o Bangalore. To reach Bangalore by rail from
Bellary, the shortest route lies only through Andhra territory.a
The Government of India did not accept the rccommcndation
and retained Bellary in Mysorc. In both ways Andhra was a loser.
Andhra and Madhya Pradesb
Andhra laid claims to the southern pottion of Bastar on the
ground that TeJugu was the spoken language of that area. Other
arguments adduced for its inclusion in Andhra were the trade affilia-
tions of the area with Andhra and that administratively it used to be
part of the former upper Godavari district The Commission was
not impressed by Andhra arguments and allowed its retention with
Madhya Pradesh. The Government of India accepted the recom-
mendation. As far as the Sironcha taluka of Chanda district was
concerned. even though it had a Telugu majority of 51.2 per ct;nt
the Commission did not recommend it5 transfer to Tclengaoa wla
which it was contiguous.
Andbra and Tamil Nadu
The border disputes OF Andhra with Tamil Nadu was left to the
arbitration of H.V. Pataskar. by the Chief Minister of the State-
He recommended the inclusion of a large part of Tiruttani taluka of
Chittoor District of Andhra with Tamil Nadu. Similarly a lar@
portion of Ponneri and Tiruvalfur talukas of Tamil Nadu was indud- 1
ed in Andhra Pradesh. His recommendation was accepted. Tn the
south-west of Tamil Nadu in the Dharmapuri district, Tclugus ?re
in a majority in Hosur taluka. Pataskar did not recommend Its
inclusion in Andhra as it was not geographically contiguous to ,
Andbra- Thus by losing Kolar, Andhra lost Hosur also.

1. lbld., para 334.

2. /bid.
 Communist Parties and
Revolutionary Violence
By the end of I945 the Communist pattics of Andhra (in tho
Madras Presidency) and Telengana (in the State or Hyderabad)
became cadre based parties. They enlarged their influence from
grass root level working through their front organisations like Ryth
Sangam and Andhra Mahasabha respectively,
The infiltration of the Communists into the Nizam Andhra
Mahasabha began when Ravi Narayana Reddi was elected President
of the Bhuvanagiri Scssion OF the Andhra Mallasabha in 1944.
The Communists initially utijiscd the youth forum oPHydtrabad
called 'Comrndes Association' to brain wash the young intelligentsia
of Hyderabad city. They also tried to involve the students and the
industrial labour in their activities. Maqdum Mohinuddin, Dr R ~ J
Bahadur Goud, Sarnbamurty, Linga Reddi and Srinivasa Lahoti
utilised their entire time and energies to build up trade union
organisations in the Hyderabad city.
The Aodhra Communist Party which was guiding the destinies
of the Communists in Telengana, however, rerrlised that the Commu-
nists could become a force to be reckoned with only if they c o ~ c t n -
trattd on villages where the feudalistic abuses wcrc rampnnt. The
Andhra Conimunist Party, sent one of its able organisem, N.V.K,
Prasad, to guide the left oriented workers of the N i a m Andhra
Mahasabha. The leading members of the Andbta Snbha with
leRist leaaings like Ravi Narayana Reddy, Baddam Yella Reddi,
V. Alwar Swamy, Devulapalli Venkateswara Rao, developed close
personal contacts with Andbra Communist leaders like P. Sundarayya,
Chrcrrdra Rajcswara &LO, M. Basavnpunnaiah
The Communist Party of the State of Hyderabad c a m into
existence in 1939. The Andhra Communist leader Chsndra Rajer-
wara Rao conducted the 'School of Politics' in Telengana and also
attended the Bhuvanagiri Session of the Andhra Mahasabha and
formulated plans to involve tho pensants of Teleoga~ain the actl-
vities of tbc h d h r a Mahasabha, by championitlg their probkma
148 HISWRY 01 M o D m ANDnRA II
arising out of the compulsory 'levy of paddy.' During the Second
World War, the Government o f Hyderabad in order to overcome
the shoriage of food introduced a system called compulsory levy of I
paddy from the peasantg. Under this system, every cultivator was
forced to sell t o the Government a certain amount of paddy a t a
h c d price. The big Jagirdars escaped this levy system due to their
power and influence. Only the small and marginal farmers were
forced to submit to this system of levy wbich led to many abuses.
The government officials forced the small farmers t o bring the levy
paddy to government market yards at their expense. Secondly, in
weighing the paddy and disbursing money towards the payment of
levy paddy, the 05ciaIs indulged in many malpractices. The
Communists highlighted these difficulties of the small farmers of
the villages and troubles and sufferings of the middle class people
in towns to secure rice and other essential cornmadities from the
"ration shops." The Communists, through their cultural front
organisation called Praja Natya Mandali, revived an old cultural
entertainment callcd "Burra Kattta". By means of "Burra Kathas"
which became immensely popular both in villages and towns the
Communists succeeded in propagating their ideology effectively.
After the Bhuvanagiri Session in 1944 branches of the Andhra
Mahasabha were established in many villages of the Nalgonda and
Warangal districts, The branches were popularly known as
'Sangams' or associations. In the Janagama Taluka, Arutla Rama-
chandra Reddi,-a wor k t r of the Andhra Mahasabha successfully
conducted a campaign of the peasants against the atrocities of the
local hnd-lord-Visunuru Ramachandra Reddi who owned more than
10,000 acres of land. This was the beginning of the peasant revolt
against the land-lords which later became famous as the Tclengann
Armed Struggle (1946-1951).
1
On 4 July 1946 there was a great clash between the workers of
the Andhra Mahasabha and hirelings of Visunuru Ramachandra
Reddi. In this clash the hirelings shot dead two peasants-Doddi
Mallayya and Mangali Kornarayya. The Communists retaliated
violence with violence. This incident heralded the beginning of
revolutionary violence in Andhra by the Communist parties.
The death of Komarayya enraged the peasantry of Telengnna
and they rose in revolt against the Jagirdars and Deshmukhs (local
,
land-lords) Tbe peasant uprising of Janagama soon spread ,to
other areas like Bhuvanagiri, Suryapeta, Ramannapeta and Hujw
Nagar talukas of Nafgonda District. The feudaI land-lords and the
Nizam Government were taken aback by the intensity of the move-
ment. At this crucial juncture i.e., July 1946 when Tndia was on the
threshold of freedom, the hands of the Nitam's Governneat were
full with other affairs. St was hatching plans to declare its i n d e p a -
dewe and convert tha state t o a bastion of Muslim power in the
heart of India. Naturally it did not pay much heed to the deve-
lopments in the interior villages d the State. ~h~ Co-unists
fully exploited the situation t o their advantage. BY championing
 COMMUNIS~PARTIN A N D RWOLZITIONARY VIOLENCE 149

the cause of peasants they became popular with the masses who
Were, incidentally. all Hindus. The Deshmukhs who looked upon
the Nitam's Government for protection became traitors and quislings
In the eyes of the people. At one btroke the Communists became
the saviours not only of the landless peasants but the entire Hindu
community.
The fight of the Telcngana peasants against the Deshmukhs in
the village of Akunuru and Machireddipalli attracted the attention
of the leaders of the entire country including Mahatma Gaodhi who
asked Miss Padmaja Naidu to send him the details of these
incidents.
The Creation of 'DaIams3
The Communists were overwhelmed at the response of the
Peasants. They immediately tried to consolidate their gains by
Forming what were called 'Dafms' in villages and bmlets, Each
Dalarn' consisted of 20 to 30 committed party workers who were
prepared to commit 'harakiri' for propagating the party ideology.
They were not only politically indoctrinated but given training in
the use of fire-arms and also lessons in 'first aid' and nursing. An-
other interesting development was the support of women and the
tribals to the 'Sangam' i.c., the workers of the Andbra Mahasabha
and the Communists.
While the TeIengana Communists were launching their campaign
against the feudal landlords in the Warangal (including the present
Khammaln district) and Nalgonda districts, the Andhra Communists
in adjoining districts of Krisbna and Guotur af the Madras
Presidency intensified their activities among landless labourers.
Further, they became very popular among the urban middle class
by vociferously championing the cause of the establishment of
a separate Andhra province. Thus both in tbe Teltngana and
Andhra regions of the present Andhra Prade~h, the Cornmunjsb
succcedcd in creating for thcmsalves an image of martyrs and
heroes.
The Ban o f the Communist Party
- The spread of the struggle of the TeIeagana peasants of the Nal-
gonda and Waraagal districts to other districts like Karim Nagar
awakened tbe Nizam's government to the gravity of tbc situation in
the Tdengana region of the State. So in October 1946 it begap a
sudden swoop on the Communist leaders and succeeded m arreshg
the second rank leaders like V. Alwar Swamy and others- But the
toprmking leaders like Ravi Narayana Rcddi, VenkateswaraRao
succetded in eluding the police. In October 1946 the Nizam's Govern-
ment established armed camps in the disturbed regions of ~ a ~ ~ o n d a
and Warangal districts to contain the Communist violence. Finding
that thines had become too hat for tbm, tbe Andhrs ~ a h a s a b h e
and the Communist parties shifted their headquarters to Vija~a-
Wad& November 1946, tbe Communist Party wag formally
b w & by the Nhm's Oovenunant, T b ban on the CbmInUnibt
 150 HISTORY OF MODERN A N D m

party and the establishment of armed camps in the villages by the

Government convinced the Communists of the inevitability of the
armed struggle with the government to establish their ideology.
They concentrated their attention on securing fire-arms and evoIv-
ing a new strategy to fight the combined forces of the feudal lords
and the unpopular government of the Nizam. For the time being
they thought it prudent to lie low before launching the final assault
on the forces which they deemed as reactionary. The lull in the
movement in the early months of 1947 gave the impression to the
government that the movement had fizzled out. So it withdrew the
armed forces from the viilagcs and indulged in its fanciful dream of
establishing a n independent sovereign Muslim state of Hyderabad.
Movement for Integration with India
When India attained freedom on 15 August 1947, the VI[ Nizam
of Hyderabad Mir Osman Alikhan (1911-48) declared that his
state would remain outside the Indian Union and also the dominion
of Pakistan. Naturally this declaration disturbed the overwhelming
majority of the population who wanted the state to join Tndl?.
For achieving this objective a popular movement known as 'Join
India' movement was started by the Hyderabad State Congress
under the leadership of Swami Ramananda Tirtha.
Meanwhile the blatantly communal organisation cnlIed Ittehad-
ul-Muslimeen under the leadership of a fanatic, Kasirn Razvi,
I created a para-military wing called 'Razakars' to terrorist the Hindus
and indulged in many acts of violence. The Congress Party was
unable to counteract the activities of the Razakars openly. The
harassment of the Razakars became unbearable in the villages,
where for all practical purposes they ran the government. The
State Congress Party which was mainly urban based was unable to
render any help to the harassed villagers. The villagers naturally
looked to the C ~ I n t ' n ~ ~whoi s t ~earlier championed their muses.
The Communists immediately rushed t o the villages t o rescue the
people from the depredation of the Razakars. The 'Dalams7 of the
Communists were more than a match for the armed Razakars.
Naturally the vi !lagers regarded the Communists as their saviours-
Thc Communists by gaining the sympathy and support of the
villagers tried to foster their ideology among the -9es.
Call for Armed Stroggte
The Communists realised that the time was ,ipe t o take over the
government by armed struggIe. They had already succeeded in
amassing large quantities of and ammunition. ~t t11e same .
time the Nizam of Hyderabad was also spending a fortune to
secure arms from all parts of the globe to realise his cherishe'd
dream of Independent Muslim Hyderabad. While the ~ i m ' a
Government was trying to get military hardware like tanks
machine guns, mi1ita.v aeroplanes ek., the Communists amasstd
l a w quantities of r d a , and guns also. ~t is interesting in tbis
co-onacction to note that the Razakars and the N i ~ a m ' Government
~
 COMMUNIST EARTIB AND REVOLIJTIONABY VIOLENCE 151

a hoodwinked the activities of the CommupiSts in procuring arms in

the mistaken belief that they would be used against the Govern-
ment of India. The decision for armed struggle by the Communists
was mainly taken by leaders like Ravi Narayaua Reddi and P.
Sundarayya. After taking this decision the Communists no longer
functioned under the twin organisations of tbe Communist Party
and the Andhra Mahasabha. The front organisation Andhra
Mahasabha was discarded in April 1947 and the armed Struggle was
carkied in the name of the Communist Party.
Thc Triple Strategy
The Communists decided to launch their struggle on the basis
of a triple strategy. First, they created guerrilla squads to launch
simultaneous attacks on thc homes of land-Iords, n~oncy landers
and the police stations. Secondly, they created 'Grama Rakshaku
Dalams' or village protection forces consisting of the sympathiscrs
of the party to fight the harassment of the Razakars. Thirdly,
'Vidhvamsaka Dalarn' or Destruction Squads were created. The
objective of this squad was ta watch the movements nf the Razakars
and the police and military forces of the Nizam. The main
objective of this squad was to destroy thc bridges and culverts to
hamper the movement of the government forces and the Razakars
who usunIIy travelled in jeeps and sther motor vehicles. The
Communists on the other hand travelled on foot only as they were
well vsrstd with the entire topography of the region.
After formulating their strategy the Communists created separate
squads for each of the eight districts o r Telengana. But the main
scene of the activity was confined to the districts of Nalgonda and
Warangal. These two districts were selected for a variety of
ressoos, Firstly, in these two districts the party was well organised
from the taluka to village level. Secondly, they were adjacent to
Krishna and Guntur districts of the Madras Presidency where the
party was equally popular. Moreover it was easy to indulgcin hit-and-
run tactics as the terrain consisted of many hills and jangles, and
more important, the Girijans (or the tribals) were sympathetically
inclined towards the Communists.
The anns.and amrnunjtjon needed for the struggle were collected
from places Ilke Vijayawada which thc Communists boasted of as
their Stalingrad. The Andhra Communist Icaders P. Sundarayya,
M. Basavapunoaiah acted in concert with tbc Telengana leaders
like Ravi Narayana Reddi and Devulapalli Venkateswara Rao. Thc
fonds for the party came from public donations which were collccter)
after enacting the very popular play called "Ma Bhoomi" (Our
Land) by tho Praja Natya Mandali-the cultural front organisation
of the party. The Immense success of the play and tho growing
iaflocnct of the Communist Party in the Telugu districts of the
Madfa Presidency prompted the Madras Govunment to impose a
ban both on the ~ o m m u n i sParty
t as well on the play 'Ma Bhoomi.'
Many ]aders J&e Ta-cddi Safya~ayana-Satdary of
152 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

Andhrs unit of the Communist Party of India acted as the regiona1

leader of the guerrilla squads. A11 these facts cmphasise the nature
of the Telengana Struggle, namely that it was the concerted action of
the leaders of both the units of the Communist Party of India in
Telengana and Andhra.
In the beginning of the struggle i.e.; in the early months of 1947
Ravi Narayana Reddi used to stay mostly in Vijayawada and used
to launch attacks on the police stations of the Paritala. Metnavolu
villages of Hyderabad State situated on the borders of the Krishna
district. By these attacks the Communists succeeded in acquiring
arms and ammunition.
As a result of these attacks the authority of the Niurm's govern-
ment came to an end in as many as 4.000 villages. All the govern-
ment otlicials and the land-lords and money lenders fled from the
villages and took refuge in cities like Warangal and Hyderabad.
Establishment of Village Government and Ditribution of Land
After taking hold of tbe villages from the yoke of the Nizam's
government and the Razekars, the Communists began to implement
their programme. The lands of the Jagirdars were, distributed
among the landless peasants and the debts contracted by the
from the village money-lenders were annulled. In a word the
Communists succeeded in establishing their rule in 4,000 'vimukta
gramalu' or 'liberated villager.'
The Police Action
The State of Hydorabad was liberated from the rule of the Nizam
by the 'police action' of the Government of India in September 194s.
As a result of this action Maj. Gen. J.N.Chaudhari was appointed
as the Military Governor. Kasim Razvi, the Razakar leader W@
arrested and law and order was re-established in Hyderabad city a d
other wban areas of the State. After the 'police action' many of the
Communist leaders went underground to intensify the movement !o
establish Communist rule by force. So the Government of lodm
deployed armed forces to contain the spread of communism. The
Communist struggle in Telengana continued till September 1951.
Afta realising the futility of establishing Communist rule by force,
the party gave up the armed struggle and agreed to participate in fie
democratic process of the country. The ban on the Communist party
was lifted and they were al owed to participate in activitkes
through constitutional methods. Ravi Narayana Red& who Was
arrested h September 195 I was released on 5 December 1951 to
participate in the first General Elections under the new constitutio[l
of India.
The P b t General Elactions 1952
In the first General Elections held in 1952, the Communist Party
had succeeded in winning all tha 14 Assembly scat, in Nalgonda dis-
a.b v i Narayana Reddi was elcc&d to thc Lak sabha frm
 WbfhfUMST P A R W AND RWOLUTIONARY VI0LBNC.E 153
3

Walgonda Pnrliameatary Constituency and to the Hyderabad Assem-

bly from the Bhuvanagiri constituency. For the parliamentary
seat of Nalgonda, he was elected with more than 3 lakhs of votes.
NO other candidate in the country includiug Prime Minister Bandit
Jawaharlal Nehru got such a huge majority. Ravi Narayaoa Reddi
decided to reLain his seat in the Lok Sabha, so he resigned his seat
in the Hyderabad Assembly from Bhuvanagiri.
Ideology of the Telengana Struggle
The Communist Party of India (CPI) was guided in its activities
from Moscow by the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union).
CPI uncritically accepted the dictates from Moscow and it had no
hesitation in labelljng the Second World Was as People's War. f i t
central leadership of thc CPI led by P.C. Joshi belteved ~n CPSU
thesis of the emergence communism through rbe lcvolt of the urban
proletariat. At the time when the Teleagana Struggle startod in
1946, the Communists had not captured power in China. The Telen-
gana Struggle was started by the Andha and Tclengana Communist
leaders without any direction from the central leadership which
already started following the Soviet line of action. The Andhra
Communists whose political base was in the vilhgeq among the land-
less labourers drew inspiration from Mao's essay On New Demo-
cracy.' The early success of the Telengana Struggle surprised the
central leadership of the CPl and they in the second party congress
held in February-March 1948 "saluted the heroes of Telengaoa" nnd
vowed to "make Telengana path India's path."
After the establishment of the Comrnunist rule in Cliina in 1949,
CPSU a1.o hailed the Telcngana Struggle as the "first attempt at
creating People's Democracy in India and harbinger of agrarian
revolutlon." However there was a change in the attitude qf the
Soviet Union towards Nehru's government from the beginnag. of
1950. As it wanted to develop friendly relations with thc Ind~an
government it had advised the CPI to withdraw the Telengana Stnrg-
gle. Moreover the Andhra Communists themselves realised that
after the police action, in Hyderabad the majority of the peaqlc of
the State were more favourably inclined towards the Indian Natronal
Congress led by Nehru and Patel. As a matter of fect Sardar P a d
was regarded as the liberatar of Hyderabad State from the oppre~sive
Muslim rule of the Njzam.
In December 1950 when the CPJ Central Committee was reconsti-
tuted there were very few members who supported Mao's thesis.
Chandra Rajeswara Rao who was one of the important leaders of
the Telengana Struggle had to resign his position as Sacretarp of tho
CPI in May 1951 and was suwcbded by Ajoy Ghosh who espotlded
the Soviet revolutionary path as against the Chinese line of action.
The Telengana Struggle was formally withdrawn and thereby borald-
ed a new phse in the movement of the Indian Commuais@.
Communist Movement After 1952
After the withdrawal of the Telengana Struggle in 1951 the Corn-
munists jn A n d h a and Telengana regions participated in the first
General Elections held in 1951 and did tvell in both the regions. AS a
matter of fact in both tke regions they captured more seats than the
Indian National Congress. They were convinced tbat they would be
in a position to form their government if the Telugu regions of both
Madtas State and the State of Hyderabad were brought under one
administration. So they intensified their agitation for the focmation
of Vjsalaandhra or Greater Andhra. The demand for the creation
of the separate Andhra State which began in 1913 reached its climax
when Potti SriramuIu fasted unto death in December 1952. The
Goverment of India was forced to create the separate Andhra State
on 1 Octobcr 1953. In the Andhra Assembly the Communists held
41 seats as against 40 held by the Indian National Congress. But
the Congress was able to form the government with T. Prakasam as
the Cbitf Minister. Prakasam's ministry could not survive for more
than a year. So mid-term elections were held to the Andhra Assem-
bly in 1955. In this election the Communists were completely routed
and they could secure only 15 out of 196 Assembly seats. The Con-
gress was able to secure an absolute majority. There were many
reasons for the debacle of the Communists. With the formation of
the Andhra State, the emotional urge of the Andhras was fulfilled.
The Communisls could no longer rouse the Andhra emotions.
Secondly, the Congress leaders exploited the lurking fears in the minds
of the people that the Communists were wedded to violence, and
they might repeat the Tclcngana Struggle in Andlira area also.
Thirdly, there was a shift in the policy of the USSR towards India.
The Soviet Union began to deveIop friendly relations with the
Government or India. This forced the CPL to support Nehru's
government. The visit of Bulganin and Khrushchev to hdia id
1956 further strengthened the newly deveIoped friendly relations
between the Soviet Union and India. So the CPi at its Palghat
Congress in 1956 adopted a friendly attitude towards the Nthru
government. But their policy was not liked by many Andhra Com-
munist leaders like Sundarayya and Basavapunnaiah. The CPI was
no longer a monolithic organisation. There were two main factions
in the CPI, one supporting the Soviet line of action while the other
favoured the strategy of the Chinese Communists. At the Vijaya-
wada Session of the CPI in 1961 the differences betwcen the two
factions were further intensified.
The Sino-Indian Wat of 1962 publicly exposed the factional fight
among the two groups of the CPI. The Chairman ofthe (SP: $.A.
Dange strongly dew.mced China and offered unstinted support to
Nehu government. Thost Communists who were suspected to
be the syrnpathisers of China were arrested. Meanwhile differences
between China and Soviet Union became acute. me CPI could not
remain unaffected by these developments and ~ a QI ~ wasy split
into tW0 factions known as CPI and CPI (M)(Marxist).
 COMMUNISTP A R ~ AND
~ S REVOLUTIONARYMOUNCB 155

The split in the CPI had its repercussions on the Communist

movement in Andhra Pradesh. Leaders like Sundarayya and Basava-
punmiah identified tl~emselveswith the CPI (M) while Rajeswara
Rao and Ravi Narayana Reddi remained with the CPI. It wilI be an
oversimplification of facts to say that the CPl supported the Soviet
Union and CPI (M) supported China. In 1967 Chiia denounced
CPI (M)leaders like E.M.S.Nambudiripad as revisionists. The CPI
(M)in ip turn accused the CPC (Communipt Parly of China) of
inte~feringin the affairs of the fraternal partles and also coqdemned
the revolutionary violence of the Communists of Naxalbarl* m West
BengaI as "adventurist" and "anti-Marxist."
There was a further split in the Communist ranks on I May 1969
when a new splinter group called CPI (M-L] (Marxist-Leninist) came
inro existence. One of the important leaders of this new group was
Tarimela Nagi Reddi who was then leader of the apposition in
Andhra Pradcsh State Assembly. The other important leaders wcrc
Devulapalli Vcnkaterwnra Rao, Kolla Vtgkaiah and Chandra Pulla
Reddi. A11 these were formally members of the CPI (M). This new
splinter group tried to propagate its ideology through its short-lived
Telugu weekly Jonataktlti.
As early as November 1967 an attempt wai made to iron out the
ideological and strategic differences among different splinter poups
of the Communists. For this purpose the All India Ca-ordination
Cornmittec of the Communist Rcvofutionaries (MCCCR) was form-
ed. The second meeting of the AICCCR was held again in Calcutta
in May 1968. The Nngi Reddi faction of the CPI (M-L) in Andhra
did not join the A[CCCR,but the leaders of the Srlkakulam 'kibal
Revolt** like Panchadi Ktishna Murty and Chowdari Tejeswara
Rao decided to join AICCCR. Following this other Andhra CPI
(M-L) leaders also joined thc AICCCR. In December the Srtkakulam
Struggle was intensified. However the serious differences between
Charu Majumdar, CPI (M-L) leader of West Beagal who spewhead-
ed the Nnxalbari revolt and Nagi Reddi over the strategy could not
be reconciled. Nagi Reddi felt that the time was not ripe for launch-
ing an armed struggle So his group was expelled from the AICCCR
in February 1969.
The Srikakdsun Armed Straggle
Srikakulam is one of the most underdeveIupsd distticts of Andhra
Pradesh. Formerly it formed part of the Ganjam district 01 Ulc
Madras Presidency. When Orissa province was formed in 1936, the
ares now cbnstituting Srikakulam district was included in the
Visakhapatnam district. In 1951 it was constituted into a scgamte
'Nsxalbari: The revolulionary armed struggle lad by CPI (M)in the spring of
1967 is popularly knowy, as the Nexalite Move-t, since armed ~ l r u g g ! ~
took placr at Nsxnlbnr~,a smelt village in the S ~ l l ~ usub-division
ri of the Dard
jealing district of West Bonpal. lhia diairiei i s surrounded by spa) ID Ib0
west, Sikkim and Bhutan in the north and Bangladesh in the sautb. Neralhari
, is less than I00 kms.from 1ha borders of Tibet.
*#meSrikakulam Tribal Revolt ia dealt with in detail In tbe mt
district. The district which has an area of about 7,000 sq. kms.i*
bounded on the north by the Ganjarn district of Orissa, on tbc west
by Koraput district of Orirsa, on south by Visakhapatnam district
and on the east by the Bay of Bengal, The area along the coast of the
Bay of Bengal is known as the plains and t h e area around the East-
ern Ghats is known as the Agency area. In the Agency area rhere
is a large concentration of tribals like Jatapus, Savaras, Gadabas
and Khonds. They are popularly called 'Girijans' i.e., residents of
the Hills. The talukas of Parvatipuram, Palakonda and Salur are
situated in the Agency area.
The Agency area is rich in forest products like tamarind, honey,
kendu leaves (used in the manufacture of Beedis i.e., a cheap kind pf
cigatette) besides timber of different varieties. Merchants living m
the towns of the plains, Iikc Vijayanagaram, Bobbili, Srikakulam
used to exploit the Girijans by purchasing the above products at
ridiculously low prices. Further they used to purchase lands owped
by the tribals. In a word the Girijans were economically exploited
by the tradesmen and money lenders from the plains. Even tboygb
the Government of Andhra Pradesh enacted many laws prohibitlag
the transfer of the land of the Girijans to others, it was not enforced
effectively. Within a decade many Girijans were reduced to the
status of the landless poor. The headquarters of the district, Srl-
kakuIam town, was not connected by rail and it was about 800 km,s
from the State capital Hyderabad. So, many o6ciab regarded their
postings to Srikakulum district as punishment. In popular
Srikakulam became a "punishment m a . " All oflicials who were
considered to be ineacient or unwanted wcrc posted to Srikakulam
district. So the government administration in that district became
lax when compared to other districts.
None of the political parties except the CPJ besswed attention
on the problems of the Girijans of the district. As early as 1959
the CPI initiated the formation of an association called Girijant
Sangham. One of the activities of the Sangham was agaiast "Veto
Chakui" or farced work of the Girijans in the house of rich traders
and money-lenders. The CPT thus launched a movement againrt the
bonded labour.
In spite of the Girisana Sangham, the plight of the tribals bad not
improved. With ihe split in the ranks of the CPI in 1962, the Cqm-
munist workers of the area were demoralised. The exploitfltlon
of the Girijans which went unabated created a sense of
among sensitive educated persons who were appointed teachers in
the Agency area. One such teacher was Vempattu Satyamrayana
popularly known as Satyam.
the +foformati~of the CPI (M)the activities of the ~irijarl
Sangham wbch- was moribund since 1962 became suddenly active ia
1945- V. R a m ? l ~ n ~ a cSefXetary
~l. of Srik,qkulam disuict of tht
CPI (MIorgan~seda conference of the Giiijana workers in 1965. hl
the Gmml Elections of 1967, the Gitijana Sangham fielded a candi-
date to the State Assembly, but he lost to the Conmess andidate.
 WMMONIST,PARTES AND REVOlUl7ONARY YIOLENCR 157

The Fkyalbari uprising of 1967 crated a tremendous impact on

Persons like Satyam. Though he was not-amember of the SR
(Student Federation of Lndia), a student front organisation of the
Cf'I in his school days, he felt convinced that only an armed suuggle
would solve the problems of the tribals. While working as a teacher
in the Parvatipuram Agency area he noticed tbat there was inttnse
rivalry among the different tribal groups like Jatapus and Savaras.
Satyam who was able to win the confidence of tha tribak by sincere
and dedicated work tried to unite the two groups of Jatapus and
Savaras by marrying a girl from each group.
The begining of the Armed Struggle
In the General Elections of 1967 the CPI (M)failed to win cvcn
the Assembly seat reserved for the tribals in Srikakulam district. This
defeat instead of dampening their enthusiasm spurred them into
curther action. Soon after the elections they intensified their agitation
for the distribution of Banjar lands (i.t.,the vacant land held by the
government) among the Girijans. Further they demanded that the
entire Agency srca should be declared autonomous and administared
by the representatives elected by the Girijans. They also dcninndcd
action against the local land-lords who usurped Girijan lands and
also the money-lenders, On 31 October 1967 a meeting was held a t
a place called Mondemkbal which was attended by a large numba
of tribals. After the meeting when the Girijans were returning home
they were intercepted at a place called Levidi and fired upon by the
hirelings of a local land-lord. Meditha Satyaoarayana, killing two
Girjjans. This incident patutnlly caused great commotion among the
Girijans and they indulged in violence in piaces like Kurupam and
Seethampeta. The tribal agitation continued unabated for months
together and on 4 Marc;h 1968 the police had to resort to firing at a
place called Pedakaraja. This firing also rcsultcrl in the death of
two Girijans. The CPI (M) exploited this incident to convince the
Girijans that they could expect no justice either from the land-brds
or the government. They indoctrinated them that vioIencc must be
countered by vioIence. They trained the Girijans in the Use of fir*
arms and advocated guerrilla type of warfare. "Vempatapu Sat~a-
narayana became the uncha]leaged leader of the tribals and mastep
minded the i n s u ~ t i o n , f l l
Natare of the Sfrnggle
Charu Majumdar, the c p (M) ~ Secretary af the Darjeelins dia-
trict of West B w a l who baame famous by maste~mindingthe armed
.
insurrechon at Naxalbari established direct links with some oftfic
leaders of the Srikakularn movement like Cbaudari Tcjeswata Rae
a n d Panchndi Krishna Murty. Here it may be stntcd tbat though
the Srikakulam movement was originally riponsored by cPf (*)
it was not prepared to intensify the movement furthu: The ultras
in the CPL (M)popularly known as Maoilrts were th~tef'orempc1ld
1. pofiw ohar&%shmt in the Parvatipuram Naxalite oam quoid in Rnorri''unrv*
Vlolmc, Mohanty Manoraqjan,New Dtlhl(1977)mP. s3-
156 BfSTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

disUict. The district which has an area of about 7,000 sq. kms. is
bounded on thenorth by tho Ganjam district of Orissa, on the west
by Koraput district of Orissa, on south by Visakbapatnam district
and on the east by the Bay of Bengal. The area along the coast of the
Bay of Bengal is known as the plains and the area around the East-
ern Ghats is known as the Agency area, In the Agency area there
is a large concentration of tribals like latapus, Savaras, Gadabas
and Khonds. They are popularly called 'Girijans' i.e., residents of
the Hills. The talukas of Parvatipuram, Palakonda and Salur are
situated in the Agency area.
The Agency area is rich in forest products Iike tamarind, honey,
kendu leaves (used in the manufacture of Beedis i.e., a cheap kind of
cigarette) besides timber of different varieties. Merchants living in
the towns of the plains, like Vijayanagaram, Bobbili, Srikakulam
used to exploit the Girijans by purchasing the above products at
ridiculously low prices. Further they used to purchase lands owned
by the tribals. In a word the Girijans were cconornically exploited
by the tradesmen and money lenders from the plains. Even though
the Gdvernment of Andhra Pradesh enacted many laws prohibiting
the transfer of the land of the Girijans to others,it was not enforced
effectively. Within a decade many Girijans were reduced to the
status of the landless poor. The headquarters of the district, Sri-
kakulam town, was not connected by rail and it was about 800 kms
from the State capital Hyderabad. So, many officials regarded their
postings to Srikakulurn district as punishment. l o popular parlance
Srikakulam became a "punishment area." All officials who were
considered to be inefficient or unwanted were posted to Srikakulam
district. So the government administration in that district became
lax when compared to other districts.
None of the political parties except the CPI bestowed attention
on the problems of the airijens of the district. As early as 1959
the CPI initiated the formation of an association called Girijana
Sangham. One of the activities of the Sangham was against "Vetti
Chakiii" or forced work of the Girijans in the house of rich traders
and money.lwders. The CPI thus launched a movement agaiart the
bonded labour.
In spite of the Girijana Sangham, the plight of the uibats had not
improved. With the split in the ranks of the CPI in 1962, the Corn-
munist workers of the area were demoralised. The
of the Girijans which went unabated created a sense of rewlsion
among sensitive educated persons who were appojnted ae teachers in
the Agency area, One such teacher was Vempattu Satyanarayana
popularly known as Satyam.
After the formation of the CP1 (M)the activities of the Gbijaa
Sangham which was moribund since 1962 befamc suddenly active in
1965. V. Ramalin~chsrj,Secretary of Srihkulam district unit of the
CPI (M)orgmised a conference of the Girijana workers in 1965. In
the General Elections of 1967, the Girijana fielded a a d i -
date to the State Assembly, but he lost to the Cowese candidate.
 00MWNIST'PARTLBS AND REVOLUTIONARY VIOLBNCB 157

The Naxalbari uprising of 1967 created a tremendous impact an

Persons like Satyam. Though he was not a member of the SF1
(Student Federation of India), a student front organisation of the
CPI in his school days, he felt convinced that only an armcd struggle
would solve the problems of the tribals. While working-& a teacher
in the Parvatipurarn Agency area he noticed that there was intense
rivalry among the different tribal groups like Jatopus aod Savaras.
Satyam who was able to win the confidence of the tribals by sincere
and dedicated work tried to unita the two groups of Jatepus and
Savaras by marrying a girl from each group,
The beginmg of the Armed Struggle
In the General Elections of 1967 the CPI (M)failed to win even
the hsembly Peat reserved for the tribals in Srikakolam district, Thb
defeat instead of dampening thelr cnthusiasm spurred them into
further action. Soon after the elections they intensified their agitation
for the distribution of Banjar Sands (i.t,,the vacant land held by the
government) among the Girijans. Further they demaaded that fht
entire Agency area should be declared autonomous and administered
by t h e representatives elected by the Girijans. They also deniaaded
action against the local land-lords who usurped Girijan lands and
also the money-lenders. On 31 October 1967 a meeting was held at
a place called Mondemkhal whlch was attended by a large number
of tribals. After the meeting when the Girijans were returntug home
they were intercepted at a place called Levidi and fired upon by the
hirelings of a local land-lord, Meditha Satyanarayana, killing two
Girijans. This incident naturally caused great commotion among the
Girijans and they indulged in violence in places like Kurupam and
Seetharnpeta. The tribal agitation continued unabated for modths
together and on 4 M ~ r c h1968 the police had to resorc to firing at a
place called Pedakaraja. This tiring also resulted in thc death of
two Girijans. The CPI (M) exploited this incident to convince the
Girijans that they could expect no justice either from the land-lords
0 r the government. They indoctrinated them that vibIcnce must be
countered by violence. They trained the Girijans in thc Use offire
arms and advocated guerrilla type of warfare. ''Vempatapu SaQa-
narayana became the leader of the tribals and muter-
mlndcd tho insurreioo.wl
Nafure of the Struggle
Charu Majurndar, the ~ p (M)1 Secretary of the Darjeefiag dis-
trict of West Bengal who became famous by masterminding the armed
insurrection. at NaxaIbari established direct links with some of the
leaders of the Srikakulam movement like Chaudari Tejeswara Ra0
and Panchndi Krishna Murty. Here it may be stated that thou&
the Srikakulrm movement was origiaally spopsored by the (M)
it was not prepared to intensify the movement furthe. The ul@as
jn the CPI (M) popularly known as Maoists were thenfore=pc1led
1. Police chargesheet in the ParvstlpnramNmatite caw quotbd In
~ o h m t yhtBnoianj~NCWDeM 119TI). P. 9.
~ O ~ C P ,
from the CPI (M) in June 1968. Tarimela Nagi Reddi though hc styled
himself as a Maoist did not agree with the line of action suggested
by the Charu Majumdar. Nagi Reddi believed that the armed strug-
gle in order to become effective must be preceded by claborate
military training to the party workers. Be felt that the time was not
ripe for the Srikakulam uprising. Charu Majumdar on the other
hand felt the need to intensify the struggle to annihilate class enemies
meaning thereby the landlords and the money-lenders. The Srikn-
kulam leaders favoured the line of action suggested by Charu Majum-
dar. They met a t a place called Boddapadu on October 23-25,
1968 and decided to intensify the struggle on militant lines. From
the end of October 1968 to the middle of 1969 the Srikalculam strug-
gle took the character of an armed revolt.
Towards the end of February 1969, Charu Majurndar visited
Andhra to brief the Srikaliulam leaders in conducting the campaign.
From 28 February to 2 March 1969, Charu Majumdar and leaders
of the Srikakulam movement like Tejeswara Rao, Ponchadi Krishna
Murty, Mamidi Appala Suri met a t Guttikonda in Guntur disuict
and formed a new Coordination Committee ta conduct the struggle
more effectively. Vempatapu Satyanarayana was not involved in
t h h Committee since he was not in favour of ''annihilation of class
enemies" advocated by Charu Majumdar.
Formatioo of CPL (M-L) April 1969
The ultra revolutianaries in the CPI (M) formed themsclvcs into
a new group called CPI (M-L). Kanu Sanyal, one of the heroes of
the Naxalbari movement announced the formation of this new party
on 22 April 1969, the 99th birth anniversary of Leain. Nagi ~ e d d i
did not join this party. He proclaimed his group as the Andbra
Pradcsh Revolutionary Communist Committee (APRCC) in MnY
1969.
Mass Involvement
In May 1969, the Srikakulam leaders met at Visakhapatnam and
decided to change their tactics by involving a large group of tribals
running between 500 to 1,000 while indulging in acts o f violence like
assassinating the 'cIass enemies' publicly.
Satyarn and Adhibatla Kailasam, the original lenders of the move-
ment were the prominent absentees a t this conclave since they were
not in favour of assassination of individuals.
Concerted Police Action
WhiIe the Srikakulam leaders were contemplating to intensify the
struggle. the Government of Andbra Pradesh and Orissa a t the
instance of the Government of India decided to counteract the 'naxal-
ite menace' by taking concerted action and crush the movement.
Death of Panrhadi Kriahao Mmty 27 May 1969
The Join1 action by the Andhra and Orissa police paid inlmedint~
tosults when Paochadi Krishaa Murty, one of the important leaden
 C~MMONISTP A X T I AND
~ REVOLUTIONARY VIOLBNCB 159
*
or the movement, was kiUed in an encountep with the police near a
tribal village called Jelantrakota on 27 May 1969.
The death of Panchadi Krishaa Murty led ta further violence'
and the Government of Andhra Pradesh had to declare the entire
Agency area of Srikakulam district as "disturbed area".
Kanu Sanyal and Souren Bose, the CPI (M-L) leaders of West
k n g a l visited Srikakulam district in July 1969 and ~onferred with
Satyam to decide o n the future course of action. They decided to
form suicide squads called 'Dalams' and meet the challenge of the
governmental forces.
Climax of the Movement
The movement reached its climax in July 1969 when more than
300 out of 518 villa&esin the Agency area came under the control of
the Rytanga Sangarshana Samitl, thefiont association of the CPI
(M-L) in the Agency area. The Samiti constituted Praja Nyaya-
stanams (People's court) to try the money-lenders, Irnd-lords and
other enemies of the pcople.
On 4 August 1969 about 1000 tribal9 attacked and killed the
land-lords in Malliveedu village in the Palakonda taluka. A similar
attack was made on the Pedabudidi village on 2 November 1969.
These attacks created panic among the land-lords, merchants and.
money-lenders in the Agency area and they left the Agency area and
sought safety in towns Like Vijayanilgaram and Srikakulam.
These acts of continued viole'nce spurred the police tu put down
the revolt with a heavy hand. They closely watched the movemmts
oP all Cornmunict leaders and their syrnpathisers. Tn December 1969,
the police were able to arrest Tejcswara Rao. In the same month
Nngi Reddi, Devulapalli Venkateswara Rao and other Andhra Com-
munist revolutionary leaders were arrested at Madras.
Death or Setyam and fillasam 10 July 1970
The Srikakularn armed struggle collapsed when Satyam and
Kailnsam, the t\i.o originators of ;he movement, were killed in a
police encounter at Bof Hills on 10 July 1970.
The other leaders of the Srjkakulam movement like Mmidi
Appalasuri and D. Nagabhushanam Patnaik were arrested at Gal-
cutta on 24 July 1970.
The armed struggje of Srik&dam which continued for nearly
three years from 1967-70 aught the imagination of the Comrnunisb
in all countries. The NCNA ( N ~China W News Agency) in an
article entitled "The Most Advanced Bulwark of India" dated 29
Demmb::r 1969 hailed tht Srikakulsm Movemmt and said that
"Comrade Charu Majurndar personally kindled the flame of
armed struggle in Srikakulam.*'l The Chinese Radio also gaVe Pro-
minence to this struggle in its broadcasts of 4 March and 19 May
1967 and recalled the legacy of the Telengana Straggle.
I. Quoted in Revolu~lonclryYlolmra, p. 113.
 Pamtipuram Conspiracy Case
The Andhra police brought charges against 140 persons for-taking
part in the Srikakulam movement. The list apart from containrng the
names of the well known leaders OF the Movement like ~agabhusha-
nam Patnaik and Tejeswara Rao included 4 lawyers, 2 MBBS Doc-
tors, 5 teachers 1 Ph.D. scholar in Chemical Technology and 17
students. The other important accused were Charu Majurndar,
Kanu Sanyal and Souren Bose. Chatu Mnjumdar was arrested ?n
Calcutta on 16 July I972 and he died 12 days later (28-7-1972) while
in police custody.
Among the accused Nagabhushanam Patnaik was sentenced to
death, This created a sensation throughout the country and many
appeals were made t o the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the
Government of India. As his health was shattered he was taken for
medicat treatment to 't'isakhapatnam and then t o New Dclhi. He
was finally released and is now undergoing medical treatment a t Cut-
tack.
Revolutionary Violence in Telengana Districts
The suppression of the Srikakulam Armed Struggle did not end
the revolutionary violence in Andhra. I t had spread to Telengana
districts l i e Khammam. Warangal, Karjm Nagar and Adilabad. In
the last named district, the Girijans especially the Gonds wefe
attracted by the revolutionary propaganda. Places like lndravelli lo
6
Adilabad district and Jagityala in Karim Nagar disfrjcts became
scenes of much violence. Many students were drawn towards the
revolutionary movements of the Naxalbari type. People having
radical views are now popularly known at Naxalita.
 Telugu Literature-
A Historical Survey
Teyugu, the predominant !ang,uage of the Stateof Andhra Pr.adesh
is spoken by a population of 60 million.. It is the second laigest
spoken langwge in the hdian Union after Hindi. There arctwo
views regardingthe origin of the Telugu language. Some of :the,
ancienrTelugu poets and grammarians believed that it was derived
from Prakrit and Saaskrit. But the majority of Phib1ogist.s of the.
present dayaccept the theory put forward by Bishop Caldwell in bis
Comparative Grammar ,of the. 'Dravidian Languages' that Telugu be-
long to fhc Dravidian family of languages.
At present the retmi'TcI"gu! and !Andhrab. a r e : f n t e r c b ~ , g q b l ~
But ,t.heTelugu Iangnage did not .evolve at the time af thsfirst : h d h f a
Empire-that of the Satavahanas-which extended over lac@ park.
of the present Andhra Pradesh and Maharashmfrom second century
8.c. to second century A.D. The Andhra S a t i t v a h ~Enlptior,
Hala, composed his 'Gatha Saptasathi' i n Prakrit.
Telugu language seems to have commented,its independent exTgtc
ence in the first century A.D. Several inscriptions of the per~od
600 800 A.D. contain many Telugu words. It is quite, possible f@:f
by.the ninth czntury A.D;, there was a large vo~umeof l i t e m u ~ : ~ i n
Telugu mostly song and fable.
Nenusga
Tbebeglgniags of 'Telugu literatuft i~ttaccd.i.0 the lit'h c ~ R ~ u ' ~ ~ .
when Nannaya, the coutit pod ~f Raja. Narendra.. (1022-'63) the
'

Eastera Chalukyan king who:r u ) a from R8je.h.undry-ontbc :bshks

of the rivqr Godavpi, began to. translab ?he' Mah'ahhpta i.n&
Tetugu Sanskrit. The work was ,commenced at the i.~~taneb-fgf
'the iuIcr who traced his descent. from the. lunarrace of kings::MtP:
whieh&longed the h6r.m of the Mahabharatir. Naanap @!a'.
translate. only cbe Adi pwva (Ceoto2, Sabha patra .and 'a @ ,.of
h y a parva,
rn.kla
The thnslati~nm) :r~rumixj~ ocan.turi~aft&@!d-& .OF;$%
. . .w&a m
nay& k&&ofsimhp~ri(Nelli~rt)i2dmpl&d ~ & ~ ' t r . ~ ~ ( ~ h ~
oC the remaining fifteen parvas. However, he did not take up the
traaslation of Aranya parva which was left incomplete by Nannaya.
Yerrapragada
Yerrapragada who belonged to the 14th century rendered into
TeIugn the unfinished portion of the Aranya parva. These three
translators of Mahabharata, namely Nannaya, Tikkana, and Yerra-
pragada are popularly kr,own as 'Kavitrayam' (Poet trio) and are
held in high esteem by the Andhras,
The Tetogu translation of the above poets was highly sanskritised.
During the 12 to 14th centuries the Veerasaiva movement became
strong in Karnatah and parts of Andhra also. The poets influenced
by this movement wanted to reach the common man through their
works written in simple Telugu known a3 nesi Kavitha. ~nlakudki
Somanatha who lived about 1200-1240 (5.0. composed his works
'Basava Puranam' and 'Panditharad hya Charitra' by using the sim~!er
idiom known as 'Dwipada' which contained more TeIugu words. 7%-
kana however foltowed a via media policy. He freely used both
Telugu and Sanskrit in his translation of the 15 cantos of Mahabba-
rata He introduced the new trend of udng both Telugu and Sans-
krit words depending on their common usage among the people.
Tikkana, who was regarded as Ubhayakavi Mitra (i.e., friend of both
Sanskrit and Telugu poets) inaugurated the new form of poetic ex-
pression known as Marga Kavitha. This form was in vogue till the
beginning of the 20th century. Now Sista Vyavaharika Bhasha or the
spoken language is favoured.
Translations of Ramayana
Though Mahabharata is the Erst Sanskrit: work translatedinto
Telugu, Ramayana i s more popular among the masses. From the
beginning of the 13th century tEH today, many poets have rendered
Rarnnyana into Telugu. Gona Buddha Reddi, a trlbutary under the
Pratapa Rudra I, the K~akatiya ruler of Warangal, was the first to
translate Ramayana into Telugu round about the year 1250 A D 4
This work is known as Ranganatha Rarnayano. Close on the heels
of this work came anothw translation of Ramayana known as Bhas-
kara Rrnnayana)n which is attributed to Mantri Bhaskara.
Age of Shatba and Potana 1380-1500
Srinatha and Bammera Potana are the two great poets belongpl
to the medieval period. Srinatba was a prolific writer. His works lo-
clode 'Sringara Naisadam' (translation of Sri Harshare ~ansktitwork
NafsadaS, Kasi K o n d ~ ,Bhimeswaro Purmam, Harivjlasrrmtl a d
'Palnati veer0 chorirra.' Haravilaom is his best work and Pafnatl
veera charitra is the most popular.
Bammers Potma (1450-1510)
fhmmera Potam is the most beloved poet of the Andhras. He
~endercd'Bhagavatam' into Telugu. It js a masterpiece. Eveg illi-
tmdc Persons r c d i l y quote his verses from 'Gajendra MoksharnBalId
'Prahlda cbaritra'. He is supposed to be the brother-in-law of
 Srinatha. Potana did not crave for royal patronage ,;and rcfuqied @
dedicate:hiswork to Sarvajaa Singha;Bhupala, t&e:f"Ier & Warmgal.
Other works attributed to him art 'Vikbhdra Vjjayamu*: :.&id
'Bhogini Dandakamu'.
Tallapdks Annemacharytj 1408-1503
Tallapeka Annamacharya.who;hailed from Tallapaks vi!tagtiin
the Cuddapah district lived: far 85 years. In the course of hi$ I&,
Iife he composed about 32,000 devotional songs~(Kiita~~as)ad&e~sc~'
to Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati. H t was not on1y.a greatpoet.but
also a profound musician. His Kirtanas \yhichwcre engraved on.q4P;
per plates and deposited in the temple .of Venkates.waia;werc unfortu-
nately melted by ignorant trusteesof thetemple: Only 8,000 Kitanas
are now avnilable. The Tirumala-TjrupatiDevasthanams are.nowbusy
in making these Kirtanas popular thr.ough:theirproject,knownas tKi
Ann.amacharya.Project. :F.rdmthe last five to seven years; his,Kir-
tanasnre becoming'increasinglypopulnr,.thanksto ttie splcndid woik
of Tirupati-Tirumala Devasthanams.
Except for Anaambharya Kirtanas and Srinatha's 'PalmtI veera
charitra' the wdrks upto the edd of the 15th century were mere tram?
lations from Sanskrit. There were uo original poetry works...or
works in prose. '
Thc Vijayenagara period
Theperibdof the V.ijiiyan,agarsempire (1 336-1 565) is, regarded
as the Golden Agisof the Telugu literature.,ne comtof~.Srikl;ishne:
Deva Raya (1509-29), :the greatest emperor of South Indiaj WEB:
adoroed by eight great poets of Telugu literature popularly known
as 'Astn Diggajas,.(Elephants of the Eight Quarters). Duiing :this
period a new form of literature known ns 'prabmdha' developed.
Prabandha was based on ihe Mahakavya of Sanskrit. literature.
The Asta Diggajas were (I) Aiasani .peddana,,thepoet lauieate was
popularly known as Andhra Kavita Pjtbamaha (Grand Father 6f
Telugu Poetry). His neatest work Manucharirromu is highly WPu-
k r even today; (2) Nandi Timmanna, author of ~ari~at!!op~k&M
$3),AyyaIsraju Ramakhadrudu, author of ~omabhyudhytnia;(4):8hui-
j a t ~author
, of iYaloAasthwora Mahafmyam;.(5) ~adayagari:Mdlya,
author of Rajasek9Jma Charj~m'u; (6).Pmgal~ Surana, authoz .of
&]~p~~ayom (7) ~ ; . -Murthi:also h 0 w ~ Ra.Wra.%-
~ Bhattu
bhusbana, author af ,V~m~horipci; apd (9) TepaIi Ramakrisbna,
author of Panduramgu h f ~ h u ~ n ~ ~ uThe p n . name cif Tenali m-
Jcrishnais assoeiafkci with several humorans stories .Wd mi$cEauo.m
prank and he is p0,pular throughoilt- South India 8 s Birbal. il
North Indie.
Amnkta Malggda
Sri Krisbad&a R83a was not a& a : at &peror but & p a
,

poet o~.grmtrmQwn. His w&:.,4pwk& %a&& b tC@@ :*a

firat rate 'prkbandb' in Tc~u@li&8m,
Vemana
One of the papular literary forms in TeIugn is know* as 'Sata-
kam', A Satakam is a collection of 100 poems. The two popular
\I
Satakams are S?lrnoti Sofakan and Vemana Satakam, Vemana was
one of the greatest poets of the post-Vijayanagara period. He be-
longed to the Rayahseema area and his verses composed in a simple '
and charming style are intensively popular. C.P. Brown an employee
of the Bast India Company was so charmcd with the Vemana verses*
that he translated them into English in 1829.
Southern School of Telogo Literature
After the fall of the Vijayanagara empire, a number of sma!l
Hindu kingdoms were formed in South Tndia, especially ~ a m r l
Nadu, ruled over b y princelings popularly known as Nayaks or
leaders. Most of the Nayak rulers were of Telugu origin. In th:
Nayak kingdoms at Madurai, Tanjavuru and Pudukkottai in T a a r l
Nadu, Telugu literature was given so much patronage that from the
17th to the middle of the 19th century, a large number of Telugu
works came from that region. That is why the literature of tbs
period is popularly known as the Southern School of Telugu liter-
ature.
The special features of this school was that a large number of
princes as well as women produced literary works of outstanding
merit. Secondly, music was given much patronage and great musical
compositions in Telugu were produced. These song composers were
known as Vaggeyakaras.
gshetrayya (1633-'73)
Krhetrayya also known as Kshetrajna was another great poet
musician. He hailed from the Mowa village in the Krisha district.
His musical compositions known as padams form the repertory for
the famous Kucbipudi Dance. He travelled extensively and WF5
honoured by the rulers at Hydtrabad, Tanjavuru and other places
South India. Though he is said to havo composed more than 4000
padams only 400 are available.
Twgarnja (1759-1847)
The music of South India is popularly known as Carnatic music-
CmIatic should not be confused with the state of Karnataka. W-
Iiatic was the region now forming part of Southern districts of
A n d h Pradesh and Northern districts of Tamil ~ ~ Since
d the~ .
three grwt musical composers of the south, Tyagaraja, ~ & & m and
Sya- Sastti Wiled from this region the ma& is popularly kno?
as Carmatic music. Kakar la Tyagayya popularly known as ~yagara~a
is the fleatest of the musical trinity of South India. HC was a TelugU
bsahmin by birth and all his musical compositions were in Telugtl
bng~ageonly, though he Iived in the b r t of ~ a d~ l ~ d u .
Women Poets
The earliest poetess of TeIugu fi&~m~ was Kummri Molla,
dao* of a potter, composed the Ramay ~ n ain mtos. ~ e r
 work popularly known as MolIa Rclmayanmu :is!id popular.
'all scctionk :of the Telugu p.eopl$, So.mt:regar.d:her:t~.:~~
, :a con-
temporary of Tikknna who be]onged,toth@1 3 4 : c e e j w . ~ & & w i , ,
daughter of Kiishnadcya. Raya sndwif&:c?' the.vGaYanagara
Ramaraya, is said t.0 have composed 'the Telugu podfib1 wor# cal~id
~arichapari)111ymu. Anot.her poet*& Tallepaks Tinmkkka @f$.;o:f
Annarnasiharya, was the author af Subhadmij~mi)ibm.
Hcrwevei it is only during the 17th and 1.9thcenturiesd.l.&,gs
number OF women like Ramabhadramba, Madhuravani, Raoga-
jamnia and Muddupalalli produced li(erary works ofgreat:mei;it,
All of' them enjoyed the patronage of the. kings at Tanjavuru '

(Tanjore).
Telugu iiteraturb flourished at Mysore SO. K e m p a ~ ~ s v d ath.e ;
founder of Bangalore city, cqmppsed a musical work la T.elugu
known as Congo Gowri ViZasamu.
The Kutbshahi..sule&o~G.olconda nlso patronised Telugu litera-
ture. Ibrabim Kutb Shah honoured Kandukur" Rudrayya,; the
author of Jgardana S a t a h and .Sugrivavi/ayumapd ;also.Addanki
Gangadhara Kavi. Malik Ibrabim, another Sultan, of Golconda
patronised Malla Reddi who composed works like PPdmupuranmn.
Modern Period
During the.years 1766 r.0 1802, t w o out o f the threegeographical
regionso f Aa&.a .Pradesh:namelythe: Circwd 10s Come1 AndhCa
and Rayalaseema came under the c.ontro1 OF the ,East'-wdia com-
pany. The third region naiiely Telengana forme$.part of :Lrst.while
Sfateof Hyderabad. '

With the intCoduction of British rule, Tdugu liletature. was. alw

grcntly infiuenced by English literature; Before 1857 some of the
missionaries and officialsof the East fndia Company like C.P: Brqwq
rendered great service to Telugu language and littretufe. Brown
was responsible ia bringing out an English-Telugu Dictionary and
also brought to :light many ext&t works in Telugu. Ha employed,
a Large number of Telugu pandits at :his pegonal expense:t o edit .
fainoils works in Telugu.
Q ~ d n l n r l Veeresdhgam 184&19l9
K d u k u r i Vecr&$a!inmmis rem*rnbered n6.wf 0 t . h p.immIfio -'

wo~kbed* in thc:fietd:of rp~ialidom espccial1y rcmuriape of

kdows. Before haturned his attention to. a-81 rtfufm he w i h c d
frontiers of Telugu letters by :inrfodu6ingnew. gerary fom?;$&
~ . n o v ~ lautobiqraphy
,,' Wc. His l i t @ r adc(rnhe6
~ WW;~&~
,uewrote the first novel in T c l u ~Rujrrjekhqr~clrmcrmrr.
. .;:., :., :,. .;.
b o o b in Te1ug.u on &laturd scibd@s; :adM~)w]w. d&!:.::.:b '
hi;n. He was t.hb .first-:toestab&h,.tcpara,b ouroak..@ :.wz0mrnmi
silihitbhdhfni and .&mya~dm)'. Re:, 1
,:

a 30 the: w.. .bb g

,
,
fhte,
.b,TClugu bn, libpary , ~ . ~ ~ ~ C I Sand>lria@qd
. w o r k ~ ~ c oahoat
III
, ~ c d : ~ t . & t j i ean@. . ..
Tdu@
.$h*
Novels
Prose as a special branch of literature began to develop only from
the latter half of the 19th century. The different prose literary foras
like novel, short story, and the drama are now more ~opularthan
poetry. The first prose work of real merit is Neetichmdrikn written
by Paravastu Chinnayya Suri (1806-1862), TeIugu Pandit of fhe
Presidency College, Madras. Neeti Chandrika contained the first
two books of Pmchnt~nlrn namely M i t m bhedamu and Miffa
Iabhamu. The style was artificial and pedantic. But many writers
including Veeresalingam imitated that style when he composed the
thi td book Pnnchatontra, known as Vigrahatontra. But later
Veeresalingarn discarded that style as he found that the students were
finding it dificult to understand the meaning. So he wrote ~andhr
ranlra in easy prose.
Rajasekhara Charitram, the first novel in Telugu was based on
Vicar of Wakefield by Goldsmith. The novel was translated into
Kannadtr and English languages. It was reviewed in The Times
London. Chilakamarti Lakshmi Narasimham (I 867- 1945) the blind
bard of Andhra was a prolific writer and a many sided personality.
was a poet, orator, dramatist, essayist and social reformer. He was
closely associated with great ptrsonalitits of Andhra like ~ e e r e s d -
ingam, Nyapathi Subba Kao and T. Prakasam.
Nyapati Subba Rao, one of the founders of the great ~ n g l i ; ~ h
Daily of Madras 'The Hindu' encouraged the writing of the novel !fl
Telugu by instituting annual cash awards for the best novels
Telugu. Chilalrarnarti Lakshminarasimham bagged first prize for
his novel Rornachandra Vijaymr in 1893. Again in 1896 he bagged
the award for his novel Hemalatha. His other great novels are
Karpuramanjori and Soirndarya tilaka. The novel8 of ~hilakamaf ti '

were based on social and historical themes.

MaIapalii
The non-cooperation movement of Gandhiji and the ~ ~ l ~ h er ve i k
volution of 1917 exerted tremendous iduence on the elite of Andha.
Unnava Lakshminarayana, Bar-at-Law of Guntur 1n
the non-cooperation movement. While in prison in 1921 he wrote
his famous novel Adcllapolli. The novel dealt with the p r o b l a s of
tho Harijans and also labour. It was the first novel in ~ e l u g uwith
political overtones highlighting the conflict between the haves and
bavenots. The novel was banned by the British Governmat of
India, but it continued to inspire both Conlgressmen and C o m m a -
ists.
Y h a a t b a 9atpnarapsm
Vi~~anatba SatyfL~fLrayanapopularly known as Viswanatha is
undoubtedly the greatest Telugu writet of tho 20th wfitw. No
wonder he is balled as 'Kavisamrat' or the emperor among the poets.
Viswaaatha was a pro~ilicwriter in both proat and poetry. His
Prose works include outstanding novels like &Y@&E~I~ (tbousmd
h ~ b ) J@bdo&alu
, Cpick Docket), Edcavira, ctc. & mawem opus
 '
Ve~fPJdarg~fuhas been translated].iufo ,&qdi as
P-V. Nafasimha Rao, the Ministerrfor Ewfnal ; A f E a i r ~ , , ~ G o ~. ~ ~ ~ ~
of India. Viswanatha is only Tdugu writer to ~ .t ~b~ : : p ~ ~ ~ t i g i o u s
'Jnanapeeth,.award.
Chivaraku Migiledi, a n ~ v e by.:Bu.&ibabu
l is one of the.o.ut~t,a~d-
ing novels published before 1950. Buchibabu, a Lecturer ih;fin$jsh,
by profesiion S ~ O , W Sconsummate
. skiU in delinesting f&e lifq of .middl&
class in thecoastal area and also the regional conflicts Wtwpen. :the:.
Circars and Rayalaseema. His premature dcathwas a great blow
to Telugu Ijteraiure.
Marxist influence
From 1930 onwardsieftist idas gained great euir+ocy:mongthe
Ttlugu people. Maxim Gorky's Moiher-and the w@ks .of Marx
and Lenin wire translated. into.Tdugu. T. Gopicband, Koddrvaiigiinti
Kutumba Rao and Rachakonda Viswan>tha Saatry brought new
vigoui to. Telugu novels.. Asamarthuni.Je&:vj7jta Yatkaof Gopichmd
revealsthe ~0cia1life of the.middle class. Kutumba Rag and Viswa-
natha Sastry were the champions of the underdog, ,Theyare cwnmit-
ted to Mnmism. Kutumba Rao passed away :?ecently. H i s corn-
plete works were. edited by Ketu Viswanatha Reddy and published
by the Visalandhra Publishipg House of Vijayawada, Viswmatha
Sastry's novel Ratt~hrand Rmibabgis still incomplete..
Women Novelists.
After the:formaiion of~ndhraPradeih a tliw trend bas .dcv$op.-
i d in the writiog o f n o v e ~ . The important:Tclug~~ pnrnaIi &pcci~
ally weeklies are serialising navels and awarding thm hand'#b.mc
prizes. . Thi$,braugbt into the fidd a galaxy orwomen noveJise ilk8
Malathi Chdndur, Dr. Sri Devi, Yedd~napudi ,.Sulochanaf~,
,Madireddi Suloohana,.Bina Devi, Smt. Anantaramam, D. Visalitk-
;hi, Lata, Rangqyakamnia, D.Kameswari, K. Ramalnkshm$
V. Sits Devi egc. As a matter offact a2 present .m@rt:novelsilre.
wri#cn by women thqn m'in, The survey pf Tel.ugu..no~Iwoqld
'

ba incomp.1;ete if no mention js made 6f Gudipati Vcnk~taChaEam

who in nq+el.like M~i.d&m :and h @ & achampitved.tbt ca~8k.
of wbaen,, Adivi Bapiyju, Balivada. Kantareb .and ,Mod. Nea-
shhn Sstry,: p l l h G-paii &iiry,G.V. f C r i s h n a ~ ~ o a dCbali-
.
rapani who had translated Bengali-novels.; +pecielly Sarfit , : b d r ~ .
'

Chatt&rjeeinto.Telugu:aieofhes;gretnovetis'tsof this:cetitUY.
Short S t o r i ~
Like fbt. novel,, the &oft story a&thenew gnre of_ Te@!F-
developed 'dQe to the spfcad of English educ8W:: ~d
cmtact wi& Engligb 1ittfi.t-m, OP COlWe: s h ~ t f slQriat2.
iigb&arifithalu', .stories:r+lyiag rouad Ta.wbari,t.b:~@fiWu
&i ~ ~ g h ~ d ~ vand Rw a K m i m ~ ~ d~atha~v,:(@~d&l~!d:an
&e pilfi,m8gd,to Krsi..MDenam) wiit:~.in:vaguc
i
d u r i q ~ t @ < ~ ~ ~ ~
n.6t re@d .&a. l@ua W?JF@~-
~~t g h ~ t.lt.jrla~er,=.:
ovrgjaaa , ~ ~ , ~s ?f tbam&.a4:eif,tb. m ? . d , ~
A Q ~ (1g6~49.1.5)*
~ ~ ]i(t*- u ~ md
, ,... . dnmr
&u6bf q.t&e:fim0.g~: :-u:
written in colloquial Telugu is regarded as the creator of the Telugu
short story of modern type. Diddubar~rpubIished in 1910 is rcgard-
ed as the first modern Telugu short story. The Iiterary output of
Gurujada was very meagre, but he was a trend setter not only in the
new genres of Telugu literature, drama, and short story, but also
poetry.
The short stories of Chinta Dikshituln and Malladi Ramakrishna
Sastri were very popular. The former was the &st to write stories
for children. The Kmlam Kathalri of Munirnanikyam ~arasirnha
Rao depicts the domestic life of tbe middle class.
Short story writing got a great fillip with the growth of Telugu
journalism after the end of the Second World War. P. ~admaraju's
short story 'Gativana' bagged the second prize in the New ~ o r k
Herald Tribune Story Competition. Of late short stories used to
propagate leftist ideas. Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastri, one of the
best short story writers in any language, is associated with a literaTY
group called Abbyudaya RachayithaIa Sangham (Arasam for short)
meaning progressive writers association. It is r~garded as the
literary front organisation of the CPI. As against 'hasam' there
is 'Virasam' i.e. Viplava Racha yithala Sangham (RevolutionarY
Writers Association) which propagates the political philosophy of
the radicals.
Dmma and Theatre
One of the neglected branches of Telugu literature is 'Drama'. It
was only during tho last decades of the 19th century playwrights
wrote stagable dramas. The inspiration came from the touring dra-
matic troupes of Dharwar and Pune who enacted with great success
lays in Hindi and Urdu in different towns of Andbra. The need
For similar dramas was felt. In two centres, Bcllary and Rajahrnun-
dry, Tclogu plays were enacted with great success. Dharmavarm
Ramakrishnamachar~a (1853-1913) of Bellary is regarded m And hra
Nataka Pitamaha (Grand Father of TeIugu Drama). Two of his
outstanding plays were Chitranaleeyam and S a r ~ g a & a ~ a . The other
great dramatist or Bellary was Kolachalam Srinivm Rao, who
wacmtrated on dramas with historical backgtounds. His Vlfayw-
guru Smnrajyu Patanamu (fall of Vijayanagar Empke) is fie best
among the 30 plays he has written.
Chilakamarti Lakshminarasirnham's plays like Gayop&ymnm
and Prasanm Yadnvan1 became immensely popular. ~ o d h r Kesad s
T.Prakasam, used to enact farnale roles in t k s e plays.
BeUarg. Rn~hava
mi pa^ Raghav=haryuIu po~ularlyknown as Bellary RagbavIt
was an actor pat excellence. Nt invigorated the T ~ &tag=I ,by~ ~
his d p m i c performance. He enacted the roles of Othcllo and Shy-
In the Enghsh play9 performed at Madras and Bangalore. His
famc to ~ther.partsof the Country and Endand, -bin&&
@b Tqgme bailad him as one of the best w m on t b hdJan stage,
 Among the'notable plays of the early twentieth century are
Pdava U ~ Y W ~
yijo~ulu of Tirupati Venkatakayulu, Pratopap&Iee.
YQtn of Vedam Venkataraya Sastri, Satya H~rishchandmof NGjcpaHi
Lakshmikantam and Pad~ckopattabhishekm of Panuganti L a k s b i
Narasimha Rao.
Stanam Narasimha Rao, D.V. Subba Rao were two actors of
rare ability who adorned the Telugu stage.
ffinyasulkam
Tba first social play of outstanding merit is Kanyasulkam written
by Guruzada Appa Rao. It is regarded as a modern classic. It
was written at the instance of the Vijayanagar zarnindar, Ananda
Gajapati, to expose Kanyasulknm (or Brldc money) prtvaicnt among
the middle class btahmin families towardstbe end of the last century.
Under this system young girls inoluding babies were given in marri-
age to old men in return for money (Kanya Sulkam). This
play written in 1897 was revised and enlarged in 1909. It is a
socinl satire and held to ridicu[e the persons indulging in this
nefarious practice. The play written in spoken Telugu became an
instant success. Even though the custom of Kanyasulkam has
disappeared long ago, the play is still read with much relish. The
character like airisam the 'lovable rascal' and Madhuraveni 'the
worldly wise' dancing girl pulsate with life.
Ma B h m i
During the years 1942-46, the Communists tried to propagate
their party ideology bq' staging plays like Mundadugu (Step forward)
and Mabhumi (our land) through their front orgenioation Prajanatya
Mandeli. Mebhumi portrayed the struggle of the Teltngaae
peasants against the feudal landlords. The play was banned fur s
time.
An account of tbc Telugu drama would be incomplete without
referring to the works of P.Y. Jbjamannar, the former Chief Justiu
of Madras High Court and Atreya. The plays of R a j a m a w like
Toppeuaridi Emi Magavallu appealed to the intellectuals. Atnya's
N.G.O. depicts the avails of the low paid clerks in government
service.
the formation of Andbra Pradeth in 1956, only a few 8004
plays have b w n writtea. This is due to a variety of reasons. The
film industry in Aadhta ia fairly strong md the writer5 u e now
concentrating on novels which maid b b made into aovics- The
theatre in Aadhra is languishing for Want of Patronage-
%€try
Since beginning. af this c m t Tilugu
~ poetj : h % $ m a : q
virge,. This,,= dm tci a variety of reasons, U~,*;V*&
a ' s eg~rfi. social rcform, the .aw.&amgof the n + @ e s
due t,o Vandc-inataarn and SwadesM wv~rnen&andthe':..; . . . ;...

-firns Gjdup ~ ~ ~ ~ ~fin&lu

' m 'tot a&:
y be-' ,&pka.
 WTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

language the medium of literary expression, created 'a new awaken-

1 I

ing among the poets and they readily experimented with new patterns
of literary expression.
A new trend in writing of poetry was set: by Gurujada Appa Raa
when he brought out the fine collection of poems called ~ l l f ~ a l o
Surd11 (GarIand of Pearls). With the pubIication of these poems
I'
two things may be said to have taken birth, a new metre and a new
school of poetry."l
In these poems Gurujada foresees the emergence of a brave
world. He chides the patriots who regard the motherland as a PISe
of earth and forget the common people.
Other poems of Gurujado include Pufhadi Bomma Purnamma and
Luvanya Raju Kala. As pointed out by the veteran journalist and
literary critic V,R. Narla 'Gurujada's contribution to IittratUre~
though meagre in quantity, is more artistic. more abiding."2
RayaproIu Subba Rao (1892- )
The pubIication of Truno Kankmranl by Rayaprolu Subba RaO
in 1912 heralded the bjrth of a new kind of poetry in Telugu popU-
Iarly known as Bhava Kavitwam. This genre of poetry differs from
the classical poetry as it gives more emphasis to Bhava (emotion)
than to Rasa or sentiment. The trend set by Rayaprolu inspired
poets like Devulapalli Venkatakrishna Sastry, Nayani Subba Rae,
Duwuri Rami Reddy, Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Nanduri subba
Rao and a host of others.
lt is interesting to note that Viswanatha Satyanarayana who
beyme the champion of classical tradition produced in the early
perlad of his literary career lyrical works Iike Kinnerumi ~ataltland
Xokilamma pelli inspired by the Rayaprolu.
Krishna Sastry's works like Krishna Pakshom and Urvmi show
the influence of Reyaprolu . Bhava Kavitwam poets r&e ~ e d u l a
Satganarayana Sastry, Denulapalii Krishna Sastry, Naymi Subba
Rae, B~avaraju,tQppa Rao formed themselves into a literary grouP
called Sahlti Samiti under the inspiration of TallavajjuIa sivasaPkafa
Sastri. The literary journal Pragati did yeoman service in popUm
larising this new genre of poetry.
One of the poets of the Bhava Kavitwam group, Naoduri S ~ b b a
h 0 , raised great controversy by using the spoken dialect in hlf,
patm "Yenki Patalu" The hero and heroine of the poems Y a k 1
and N a ~ u d u Bava belong to the class of agricultural ~ o r k c f i
and S~bbwao'suse of the co~oquialidiom of the working clags Was
questioned s c h o l ~ s . But Pa?chagnda Adinarayana Sastfl~
the achola of Bcrhampur m his forceful in@oduction to the
poem sxlenced the critics.
S ~ ISrwiva~~~ I ~Rno (Sri sd)
finrangam Srinivasa Rao popularly known aa sti Sri is a poet of
'j. Narfa. V-R., G W m f a (Now Dehi), 199, pa63.
2. fbjB., p. 83.
 defianco- He has exercised and is.$till ~ e x e ~ i ~ i ~ g : t r ~ m ~ ~
on the. minds:of youth imbued with ievbIutionsry,fiiirh; ,H='i8:
now associated with a group:of radicals :&b' ' k ~ l e:.aemselves .as:
mtmbers-of'virasam'-Viplava RachPjitaia sangha& (&&&&i&nQf ... ..
Revolutionary Wfiters). ..
Sri Sri was greatly influenced by Marxism and ~ x p e @ t n , ~ . & e
pangs of poverty during the economic depression of the 19.3.0!s; He,
felt that the panacea ofatl, economic evils is C o . ~ . u n i ~ mSo.
.,
during the years 1934 to 1941 bebrought out a nunibei .ofpoerns:
whicb weie published under the title ~tfuhaprasihmani.Jnthest poems
SriSti assumed the role of an iconoclnst th destroy the old order of
l i f ~and .outmoded conventioni.
<I The admirer# of Sri Sri bail him as 'Maha,hG: or greiitpct..
His real place in Telugu literafurt can be properly e~timate only
after .political..passio~and prejudicis,c.ool.down. He::is,undoubt-
eaIy amongst thegreat poets of Andhra ... His poetry about~suEctiog
and aspitations of common people is boih moving dotionagy and
disturbing.intellectually.~
Telengrina Poets
Thc contribution of Tclengana to modern Telugu literitureis
immense in spite of the fact that the people of 11je region had nb
opportunity till 1948 to promute their studies in their mother-
tongue; All the lea&rs of Andhra movtmtat in Teleqgana liki:
'

Madap'ati Hanumaritha Rao, Burgula Ramakri~hrlaRaoi S u r ~ v a r q

Protapa Reddi, Ravi Narayana Red.di wera noted writere in'Tilugu.
Sursvaram Piatapa Reddi's Andhnila Sanghika Clraritia (Chasocid
-history of Andhras) is the first work of its. kind in TeIugu. It won
the award o f the Sahitya Akademi. He we.$also a poet. His
poems includt Chatipakee Bramara Visl~adhumand Premmpann. Hig
books Hinduvula Pandugalirl.Haindava Dha?njaveenrlu and R m ~ i a y m
Yishaam~rluwere the products of historical research.
Burgula Ramahishoe Rao, in spite:of'bis varied, politics! md.
social activities was able to write two,important books in Telugu
namely Pundltoraja Pnnchmrltom:and Krishno ~ a t h a k m .
Vanamamalai Varadachari, 'the Abbinava potana,' KbandavatIi
Lakshmiranjimam, gre among the great scholars..
Matlapati 1:Ianumontha Reb's TeIengando Andhrodyanimnu
gives an accurate:account of the Andbra movemenl @! Telen-.
,,

Simijuly Ravi Narayaoa .Reddi's "Veeia TeIengana" glV6.S the instdo.

story oftha Telengana armed struggle 1946-1921, P.V. Nara.simha
&O is a polyglot. He has good command over iewral !angmg@
including Telu u, Hindi and Marathi.,; He nenslated 'V!swm.atb
sgry~,arlymaFi Yey&adqaiu into Hiid! U 'Slbenra Ph.0.'
Kaloji Narayada Rao and Dey~!la.?uR.amaauja R & o ' @ p . b e
merit,. Among the women,,miters Ellindala Sar* '-$!I
mnpim 6 ,Mgh.place. '.Her'f0rtc.h-dhe: ~ h p &tDm.
d
1. . . ~..M.Y.,~ ~ ~ , ~ ~ ( ~ u ~ ~ py, . I~? : ~$ B ~ ~ B~Y1978;
$. ~ T h c r t
 11
HISTORY OF MODERN A N D m 1
Among the poets of the younger generation C. Narayana R c d d ~
and Dasarathi Krishnamacharya occupy a very high rank. Narayam
Reddy is a prolific writer and his works include Divvela Muvvalu, '
Korpura Vosantaraya~u, Nagarjuna Sugaram, Ajanfn Suwdari and
t
Ramappa. Dasarathi's works include Agnidharo, Rud-aveena e!c.
Dasarathi Rangacharyulu's novels, Chilla Devullu, Janapatha~ndep"=t
the rural l i e of Telwgana.
Another interesting fact about tbe contemporary Telcngana poets
is the emergence of a group of radical poets who styled themselves
as Digambara (Naked) poets. These poets assumed symbolic names
like Nagna Muni, Jwala Mukhi, Nikhileswnr, Mahuswapna,
Bhairavayya and Chcrabanda Raju. They believe in violence to
bring about social change. Charabanda Raju (Bhaskara Reddy) died
recently. He was in detention for a long time and was released only
a few days before his death.
RayaIaseema Writera
The contribution of Rayalaseema to Telugu literature is varied.
Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddi, popularly known as C.R.Red$,
brought out his poetical work Musalamrnn Marmamu in 19'00. HIS
other work Kaviiwatatva vichnrmnlr is an enquiry into the principles ?f
poetry. Gadicherla Hasisarvothama Rao who took a leading part
the nationalist and library movement of Andhra bailed from ~ u r n o o l
district. His work Vismrita Raja Kavi (a forgotten emperor poet)
deals with Krishnadeva Raya's literary achievements.
Puttaparti Narayanacharyulu composed many poetical works EF
Sivathandavnm and Penugonda Lakshrni. Gadiyarom Stsha Sastrl
Siwbhraiam recalls the heroic deeds of Shivaji in an epic style. R.S-
Sudarnanan is not only a novelist of repute but aho a literary
critic. in the field of short stories Madurantakam Raja Ram and
Ketu Viswanatha Reddi stand out prominently.
From the above survey it is evident that modern Telugu litera-
ture is dynamic and pulsating with activity in almost all genre
except Iiterary criticism and drama.
 Political Crises. since 1956
S i n e its emergence in 1:95.6,Aadhra Pmdesh was rocked by two
serious violent politi,mlagitatioosh I969 and 1972. The agitafibn
fo 1969 was popularly knownas the Telcngana agitation and that
of 1972 the Jai Aadhra Movement. The Tclengana agitatiop
arose because of the feelings of the people of the Tel&ng&nathat the
Gentlemen's Agreement' which had facilitated the formation of
Andhra Pradesh had been violated by the leaders or Andhra region,
Some of their grievances were real but many of them were imaginary.
Leaders of the Andhra region did nothing to remove the suspicions
of the Telenganapbople. The Gentlemen's Agreement was. violated
in 1956 itself wben Sanjiva Reddy. the firstCh~efMioistriaf:Andbra.
Prade'shrefuszd.tonamt any Teleogana minister as Deputy Ghief
Minister saying that the Deputy Chief Ministership .Is Iie the nn-
wanted sixth fingar of the band.
The influx of the people of Coastal Andbra info the-:cityof
Hyderabad had also created its own social tensions. Slowly the die
content spread to the government officials and unemployed yo.uffi
who got the feeling that they were neglected and cxpioited by the
domincering officials of the Andhra region and the enterp&ing,:.
peopleof the Andhra area.
I n order to draw the attention of the governmentto their-fievan-
ce9, the peoplk of Telenganii began to organise protest mecfldg and
observed 'Tclengana Safeguards Day* as early aa 10 July 148.
the meeting held at Hyderabad city Mahadtv~in~b.,a.promimnt
Trade Union jeadec cautioned the Qov~mmmtthat if' ~t fa!]? to
redress the grievances of Telmgana people, tho latta' ma$ be oom-
pelled to demand a separation from ,&dhta Pmdmh '
One of the main causes .:of the dissgtisfaction af the. peoglp...of
Teletlgaoa was that n large number ofp ~ o n sfrom . -4odhra .f4?f&*
wore to the posts in Tilengw on tho ground that;,$@i
fl& personbig from.:Telengana were n@ avaihble; The d i s ~ o n ~ k ! : ~ $
.:theTelengana people manifested ~ibefw'htn.B student of Lhriinqlam
bent .q hunger: in J a n u q '196?. BY .t&e,:middlt:of f:q!;~
.the agfption, iprwd fo other distriats: StudtiIt?'R%~ is yMi
~m moycmw. 11gli0oof t h e . e t i ~ d y w
t~ ~ f d
1. T&Dscron Chr&.& (Hydei@,d),-ll'%a.
1968-
174 HISTORY OF MODEICN ANDHRA

implementation of safeguards while the other section demanded SePa-

ration of Telengana from Andhra Pradesh.
The non-gazetted officers of Telengana joined the issue by threat-
ening to launch direct action if !he 6,000 Andhras occupying Telen-
gana posts were not repatriated to Andhra regional
The agitation took a violent turn in certain areas. To prevent
the spread of violence to other areas, the five opposition parties in
the State Legislature, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, MusIim Majlis, Sam-
yukta Socialist Party (SSP), C.P.I.and C.P.I.(M) warned the chief
Minister not to ignore the agitation. They threatened that W Y
would join the students in the struggle for the implementation of
safeguards.
The Chief Minister convened a meeting of all the politicnl party
leaders of the State o n 1 8 and 19 January 1969. The two impor-
tant issues agitating the minds of the Telengana people, namely, the
repatriation of Andhra o5cials from Telcngna apd the quantum of
surplus revenues of Telengana were discussed at the meeting. The
Chief Minister announced that all the party leaders agreed to tho
suegestion of appointing a senior officer to decide the quantum of
Telengana surpluses. He had also announced that Andhra 05cials
in Telengana would be provided jobs in Andhra area. He appealed to
the striking students to call off their agitation and restore a peaceful
and cordial atmosphere in the State.
Unfortunately on 20 January police opened fire on the agitating
students at Hyderabad. This incident provoked the students and
the appeal of the Chief Minister fell on deaf ears. When the
students continued their agitation, government extended the
Sankranri vacation. On 22 January the agitation became very
violent all over Telengana resuIting in heavy damage to railways and
other public property. Communications wcre also disrupted. In
order to defuse the situation the government announced that the
Andhra personnel in Telengana would be repatriated by 28 Febru-
ary 1969. Tt also announced that the Comptroller md Auditor Gene*
ral of India agreed to depute a senior official within week to work
out Tettngana surpluses. These announcements could not bring .
down the agitation.
While the people of both thc regions were cmotionaIIy upset 8
rumour waq spread that an Andhra oflicial (a Deputy Surveyor) Was
burnt alive by Tetengana agitators at NaIgonda. This led to a court-
tet agitation in the h d h r a area.

I
bkinwhlle the dengana Student Action Committee on 9 March
1969 called upon t e students of Teltngma to abstain from d a s W
till SeParaW Telengana was formed. K.V. Rapga ~ ~ d d former y,
Deputy Chief Minister (under SanjivayyaSs Mipistry) j d i n d the
tihdents statlog that "without separate statehood injustices to
Telengma cannot be rectified m d prevented."a
1, H I d u (Madras ,I2january 1969.
2, a **d~Jadia?New D~l&),iOMud,1m69.
 RLmcAt CRISBS swa 1956. jj5.
>

. While..tho:~oIiticalsituation:wastaking afli~,f6tahg:~wo~se,. :(he,

Supreme 'Courtgranted an injuncfion:an Andhra G,o,"&mhed'
under which the. non-Mulkjs empfbyid 'io ~ i wert:f& :;hi
] ~
relieved by 28,Feb.ruary 1969. Subs~~uentlyithe o~d&r/:waS dejarid-
- .
to be ultra-vircs of the Cofistitution.%
The a5t.ation took a new.turn when eight Congrtiss !cgisIatbcs
from Telengana supported tbe students and demanded the formation
of separate Telengana.
The Prime Minister who was watching the sitaation clbsgly
announced in the Lok Sabha on l i A p ~ i l 1969 anEight Point Plan
to resolve the 'tangle. Among them. were:(l) the appointment of s
high powered committee under a retired or serving Supreny Court
Judge to determine. the Telengana surpluses. (2) Constitution of
Telcngana Development Cornmittep with Chief Minister as Chairman
Fo review periodically the. Telengaaa development, progr,mme.
(3) Constitution of a Csmmittee of juriststo examine thi: feasibility
of providing safeguards to 'Telengana peopliin the matter of publib
employment.
The PrimeMinister's Eight Point Plan did not find favour among
thedissident Congress 1egislat.ors and non-Congress parties,. The
student agitation now passed into the hands of disgruntled pohf!cians
formed themselves into what.was called the Teleagana Praia Samiti
and began to organise tbs:mov~mentin a pIanned manner.
The Prtjja Samiii..e&lIedupon the fieople:to observe 1 Maqr: 1969
,asthe Telengana Demand DAy. The. observ+nce of 'Demand
!ed to vlolence in some parts of Teleng'iuu aad police had to open.
fire; The P.rime Minister invited Praja Samiti leaders for talk$. in
New Delhi but 13 out of 15 invitees declined the invitation .s&ting>
that ''the creation of a Separate Telengana State is not negot~able."'
The stalcmnte continued andon 4 June 1969, the situationin. Hydera-
bad city became so violent that a 33-hour euifcw was imposed.
Many Congressmen demanded the.resignation of the Chiif Minister
Brahmananda Reddy.
MeaowGIe the Prqja Samiti leader, DF.chcnna. Reddi a ~ $ d!:
students agitation leader Mallikarjun w . m arrested and agrtahon
,

~onlinucd even in October 1969, By No.vc@cr, there-bas a

i n Fraja ,&miti. The dis$deot:,Corigress legislafor5 also fdf
:they.couId not oust Eirehm&and,a Reddi. The-Chief Minister 'was'
:abl,eto stick on to his posifion due: to tho h m suppoport.:he r.m;vod
'ram the Prime Mjnistq. She refused to becowed dqm.bYag1tatlqW
andviolence. SIowly normaleyreturncd'toIhe Staft- B r a h m m ~ b
.&ddi his abhet and made J;V. Narasinga Rd& aa
Dkputy;Chief Minister. ...
1.: ,&pmbcr, 197 1, Brahma~ndaReddy resigan(...bji
to makk soam for a Tilmganjte ti. ,:b.&omet h e Ch.q %fbiater.
on2s seatember 197 1, p.V. NAi~irnhsRaa frqm Te!cagwa 'Was me
el-d ~0 t b , leader of tfig CoDg&j?SSE;egislatW .E?BrtPa
Tclengam Praja Samiti members rejoined the Congress. Few days
later P.V. Narasimba Rao formed his ministry. Andhra ~ r a d q h
got its first Chief Minister from Telcngana.
During the Chief Ministership of P.V. Narasimha Rao, Andhra
Pradesh witnessed another agitation-this time in the Andhra region.
The agitation was the outcome of the Supreme Court's judgement
on what was known as the "Mulki i s s u ~ . " ~
After the trifurcatioo of the Hyderabad State in 1956, *be
MuK rules continued to be in force in the Telengana region. As 8
result the people of the Andhra region found it difficult to enter in-
to government service in Telengana region. Some of the Andbra
employees challenged the validity of thesse rules in the Andba
Pradesh High Court. On 14 February 1972, a full bench of five
judges by a four-one majority held that Mulki rules were not vahd
and operative after the formation of Andhra Pradcsh2
The High. Court judgement came as a rude shock to the people
of Telengana who all the while were insisting on, the enforcement
of the Mulki rules. The Chief Minister, P.V.Narasimha Rao in
order to placate his fellow Telenganites announced that the govern-
ment would prefer an appeal to the Supreme Court against the &
mg o f the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Further, he announced that
the government would go ahead with the regionalisation of services
and take steps to safeguard the "legitimate interests" of the Teten-
gana people in the matter of employment opportunities.3
On 3 October 1972, the Supreme Court gave its verdict O n
fhe Mulki rules stating tbat they were valid and were in force. ThlS
judgement creeted a great political crisis in the State. The people o r
the Andhra region felt that they were reduced to the status of
i n ownStatecapital. They felt $at
s ~ ~ d c l a s s c i t i z e n s e v e n their
the only way to safeguard their dignity and honour was by sever1nE
their connections with Telcagana.
The Government of India realisiog the intensity of the feeling
of the people of both Andhra and Telengana regions. on the issue
0 f M d S ruIcs tried to arrive at a compromise by the
Mulki rules in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad unfd
the end of 1977 and in the rest of the Ttlengana region until the end
of 1980. Parliament pused a bill to this effect on 23 December lT2.
The people of the Andha region who wanted the immediate abolitlpn
the Mfilkl rula threw taken aback. They felt that their &gal?
and h o n o ~could be sabguarded only in a separate State of their
own- In order to achieve a separate Andha State they started aD
agitation Popularly known as the 'Jai Movemeat.'
1. I I? 19!9. fhe Niqam of Hyderabad jsswd a 'Pi-n* laying dowo that mY '
Mulk~s' arc el~giblo for public appointments in state. ~ u l k i is a*
who was bocn the State of Hyderabad or resided there continuoud~
fif- Years a d an affidavitthat he had abandoned the idea of re--
ing to his native place.
2. Arhn Recorder (New Dslhi), 1972, p. 10663.
S. (bid.. p. 10664.
 On 31 Dice:mber 1972 &qg&~i;me~:~f*6~.;
, . . . . ,.,: , j ~ ~
met a t a conveniion af Tirupatj which ~s:&t!,,i~'dcd:~,:a i&g;'&g
bir of Andhra Congress mtimb%a of the Legi&ii"&c :,&s~&iY
Council and Presidents of Zi]la pi<&hatJs. B ~ V ; : : S " ~ ~ ~ . R ~ ~ ~ ~
.;earlier resigned his position of Deputy Chief .Minister of.;..,:Andhfii
Pradesh, presided over it. The. 'convention isiued::a cajl. t o . thtj
people of Andhra to "paralyse thb State adminisfration" b$zefus-
i4g: to pay taxes to the government and by defying: the:protii6ifi.$ky
orders. To implement the d.ccisions of :thecanverifion '~~.$4ction
Committee' was constituted with Subba..Rgddias thePrtsidcnt,. The
Committee included six of thd eight ministers who had +ign=d
earlier over the Mulki rules issue.1
The Sai 4ndhra.agitation spfead like wild-firaand..pafalysed :the
admiristration. As n rerult, President's Rule was enforced :on .the
State on I8 January 1:973.Tho State Assembly was.:ktptin::gu~'pe@@
animation. Meanwhile the Congressmen of Telengana met at a @on-
vention on 21 January 1973 a t Hydeiabad under the Pre~id~entsliip.
of Dr.M. Chenna Reddyand resolved to fight f o ~a separate State
and converted itself into a "CongressForum for T~lengans;"~
The Jai Andhra Mo~emcnt,thougb if tnjoycd popular suppod
could not make much headway due to the lack of proper lddiis.Qp.
The one leader, Kekani Venkataratnam, who could have provided.
erective leadership, died of a heart-attackan 25 December 1972.B.V
Subba Reddi, partly,dueto his iI1 hgaIth, could not riseto the aeca-
&ion.The Movement discaerated into.a vulgar yitatiori. The C ~ m i
munist party of Indin which was opposed to bifurcation of the. Stare
bcgaa to orgnoise ral[ies t o countiiact the separatist movemnts in
both regions.
Though the agitation continued for more th,m two,mo:aths'it
failed to make any impact on the. Central Government:. Tha Andbra
Congress leaders became restlesr and they met at Chiltpor on I8
March1973 to decide the future course of action. The mee~mg'in.ded
in confusion, as a large number of studen,kforced the Gopgr~smen
to quit the Congress party and form a regional paity.'
Aftcr the imposition of the President's rule, the?dvisers, to
Governor, especially H.C. Sarin h e n to ,act,with .wgour,.~cven.
though the adrnioirtratjon was a1rnos.t paralyseddue to the & p
.$
,:
the non-gazetted government officers of the Andhra +g!on.
March 1973, the N;G.Obscelled OR.their I08 day-old strike.
M c ~ w h i l esnotbcr twist given to the..~gitafionwhen the'
Andha Pradesh High Court declared on 16 February 1.973that ??!Y
W a p k fmm avfiidc the Sbtc who a m e t0 file.n,@a @fl+.
there were Mulkis end not those who :were born 8nd brougbtiUp'*-
Te(cngann,4 a of thi? dshian, .+c ~elml.d;WF1C
even the smal[ benefits they got by the Mulh Rule! 'u).wd
by parliimcnl DECIm&i1972- H F ~ . it may .b :jiirRd<aLt
1. tbia p. (1973 p. 1120.
2. rag:: p ul!
tl
3. lbld.. :p, 11342.
4, fbfd..,p. 11343r
1
 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA .'
when the Supreme Court upheld the validity ofthe Mulki R U it~ I

did not express its opinion on the "definition and applicability of

the M u k i Rules*'because these points were not raised before the :I
Court. As a result a number of cases came before the Andhra
Ptadesh High Court challenging the definition of 'Mulki' in Deem- 1
berl972. On 11 July 1973, the A.P. High Court gave anathe: vef- i
dict that the Mullti rules (both old and new) apply only for lnltfal I
recruittllent and not for subsequent stages of promotion, seniorityo
reversion retrenchment or ousting from service whether temporary
or permanent1.
As a result of these developments and gradual Ioss of public
suppo~t,the Congressmen both in Andha and Telengana regsons
realised the futility of their demand for a bifurcation of the State-
They wanted a face-saving formula to call off the agitation, Sensing
the changed mood of the people the Central Government held dis-
cussions with the leaders of both the regions and evolved what rs
known as the 'Six points formula' which was endorsed by the leaders
of both the regions, with minor changes. The six points were:
I. Abolition of MuIki Rules and Telengana Regional Corn-
mittee.
2. Local candidates were to be preferred for direct recruitment
to non-gazetted posts and Assistant Surgeons.
3. Creation of a high powered tribunal to deal with the griev-
ances of the government employees.
4. Creation of a State level planning board wit11 ~ub-commi~'
tee5 for different backward areas.
5. Establishment of a Central University at Hyderabad to aug-
ment education facilities, and
6. Amendment of the Constitution to implement the above
five points.2
The Andhra Congress Action Committee accepted the six points
on 1 October 1973 and gave up its ten months old demand for the
creation of separate Andhra State. On 18 December ,973, the Lok
Sabha passed the Constitution (33rd Amendment) Bill to give effect
to the six points formula. The voting was 311 for and 8 agsinsk
Simultaneously the Molki rules which had become
with the acceptance of the six point formula were repealed.a The
Telengana Regional Committee which had been constituted in 1958
was *bolkbed from 1 January 1974 under a Presidwtial order. On
10 December 1973, Pie5i dent's Rule in Pradesh was revoked
md a 15-member popular ministry was formed with J. Vengal RaO
Chief Minister. With the advent of the popular ministry,
normalcy returned and the State enjoyed political stability, Econo-
mic activity also picked up and the State made great progress b
I. i,bid.. p. 11568.
q. 1bfd.e pp. 11705-6.
3- kbtd.. pp. 1?8Do.01.
 :agric.uituraldevelopment. Activity' oath&.,:jndwtrial, fk,fioiit:., :hi&
picking up.
In the General Elections: held for the Andhta pmdesh agis'iht*&:
Assembly in February 1978, thq Congress .(I).~ @ f i yleaby:Smt.,
, .
Jndira Gandhi swept the polls and won 175 out of 294kea'ts ;:foe tbt
Asembly. Dr. M. Chenna Reddy &came th6 sixth, Chief Mini$tir..
of Andhra Pradesh on 6 March 197i11 H e announced that gep,i&te.
Telengana is no longer an issue. Dr. Chenaa Reddy fesigncd
position in October 1980:and was:succeeded by ShriT. Anjaiah. $t
is hoped that under the able stewardshipof Aajaiah, AndhraPiadcsh.
wili attain itsrightful position in the country.
Anjaiah failed to bring. political stability !ti the Ststt. k t oi.ile~.-
to satisfy the direrent groups i,n the Congress Paity he: awtcd.a ,

very large ministry consisting o f 63 members. Naturally this.,cr+ted

an unfavgurableimprission about the capabilities of Anjaiah. The
Congress Hi&h Command had to intervenetoprune theministry..
This led to very difficult situation for Anjaiah, Th6se:whowen.
removed from the ministry styled themselves,aa 'dissidents' and d id...
their best to pulI down the ministry. They succeeded i.n their efforts.
Anjaiah was replaced as Chief 'Ministerby Bhavanam Vtnketararna
ReddJ'in February 1982. Anjaiah during his tenure af office cdn-
ductcd elections to the local bodies like Panchayat Samities Munid
pelities and Municipal Corporations of Visakhapatnam and
,

Vijayawnda. The Congrass Party d/d not participnte in:thes.c:.c!wtions -

oficially but allowed its . mtmbers to contest for differcnf lposiciong..
The B.J.P, (Bharatiya Sana-ta Party) was able to win rnaj6ritj;jof
seats in the Cor'porattionof Visakhapatnam and its nominee b a s '

the Mayor. Similarly at Vijayawada the CPI and CPI (W were.

able to secure majority of seats and their nominees b ~ respec-t
tively Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Vijayawada Corpomtlon. The
setback to the Congress Party io the municipal,corpo!atidn elections
was one of the reasons for the removal of Anjalahfrom Chief
Ministership.
' h e r g e n e .of a Regional Party-'Telugp Dm'.
Frequent ,changes of Chief Ministers o f Andhra Predesh, :!he
Party Hjgh Command at ciea&edan lmi$SSlOn arnm !he'
people that t,bo (ntercstl qftbe ~ , u t arcc DegircrJby *be self-a, . &
.poI*jcians who have .no po]iti&l base in th? Stat?. The rapid
advances made by the neighbouring: State of Tamil ~ a d intbb u
sphere of industry, transportdc., under a rdonal ~ a ~ t Y ' g ? . ~ ~ - ~
created an imprcssbn among the people that the t IIt er ~ ~t s.. ~ .f ~. ~.@
State would be safe in the haads of a:r.egioodPafly* .,
N.T. Rama, h ~a , leading ggud in the TeJugu 'fllm,wor'd
annoonecd in May ,9112 the orendon of r regiofial p w .j.a.d
T&,su D ~ ~ ~i t mfew ~ ~ of ... ,$I~'T~MI
! fir formatibni. : .. ...,.. . .

hsam becam;
i so tb$t.:it trtak$.d rmcasiinwaiWoM
mcmbcn of tho Coosrrra p q . , ~h.hryfelt at :CbMYde~qf
~b~~~~~ Venkatsiama ~ 2 d lo b d t strong a ~ ~ ~ h t b : f a c a * n e w
 I

challenge especially as the elections to the State assembly are due in

February 1983. So the Congress High Command mplaced Bbavanam
Venkatarama Reddy with K. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy in ~ c t o b e r :
1982. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy is the fourth Chief Minister in four
years. The General Elections to the State Assembly are scheduled ;
to be held on 5 Januaty 1983. It is very difficult to prcdict the out-
Fame of the election, but the fact remains that the new regionaI party
Telugu Desam' has became very popular with some sections of the
people who traditionally used to vote far the Congress party I d by
Mrs Indira Gandhi.
Post Script
In the elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative ~ssemblY
held an 5-1-83. The 'Telpgu Desam* Party won a landslide
victory securlng 202 seats in a house of 294. The Congress P f l
led by Mrs lndira Gandhi could secure only 60 seats. The victory of
the 'Telugu Desam' Party is unique in the annals of History. The
party which was barely nine months old was able to win more than
two-thirds of the seab in the Assembly. Many stalwarts of the
Congress (I) Party including 15 ministers were trounced in the
elections by the candidates of 'Telugu Desam' Party. These vie-
tories are unique since most of the 'Telugu Debam' candidates were
new to politics and participated in the elections for the first timeb
Among the causes responsible for the debacle of the Congress (1)
Party were frequent changes of Chief Ministers. Andhra p r a d ~ h
had the dubious distinction of having four Chief Ministers (Ma
Chenna-Reddy, T. Anjaiah, B. Venkatarama and K. vijayabhder
Redd~)In as many years (1977-82). These frequent changes resulted
la inefficiency and corruption. Chief Minister Anjaiah became tba
butt of ridicule when he formed a Cabinet consiting of 6 1 members.
Andhras felt that their self-respect was mortgaged by the sel~-seeklnS
Congress men who made frequent trips to Delhi to secure
of power.
At this psychological moment N.T. Ramarao entered the
polihcal arena with his party TeIugu Desam to restore these*
respect and identity of the Aadbras. The public response to the
new party was overwhelming. The Congress (I) leaders denigrated
the new party as a Drama troupe and a conclave of the Kamma
caste But the Andhra eItctordte voted 'Telugu Deam' to pawd
aa they felt that Ramarao is capable of ushering ia a stable and
clean govemmcnt.
It is hoped that h m a r a o who became the tenth Chief Minister
of k d h r a Pradesh on 9-1-83 will & w e d in providing the Statc
~ollticalstability and clean administtation that is ever responsive to
the welfare of the people.
 APPENDX
SOME EMINENT ANDHRAS

1. Sarvkpalli Rndhakrishnaa (1888-1975)

Foremost among.the .Iumin,ariesof Audhra P ~ d e s h Sarvepdli.
Radhakrishnan who by his brilliant inrellect. aad scintillatifig:'*itingb:
spread the message ofour. ancient culture t.odis,mnt parts nf
gfoba. Radhakrishnan was born in a poor 'Telugu brahmin f&~@ty
on 5 September 1888 and had his.early educationin Tir@p.afi... Nter
getting his M;A. dcgiea from the Madras University he worked f?k
sometime as Professor of Philosophy in ih6 Pr,qidqncy ColIegc,.
Madras and Mysore University. Hisacademic achitvamcntg as &c '

Vice-Chauccllor of the Andhrx and Banaras,Hindu Universities and

as Spalding Professor of EasternReligions and Ethics a! Oxford.
are so well known that they need no recapitulation.
Radhakrishnan, twice presided.:overthe sessions of the Andbra.
Mahasabha -at Nandyai . and Madras ia 1.927ijnd 1938 .rtspectiv$ly
and tried his best to bring about ihc;early formdtion of::& ;&dhra . ....
Provjnce.
Afitr our country.attaihed fre6dom in August1947, PanditNduq
utilised theservices of Kadhakrislmanin vv,ious capacities.. His
tenure of ofice as the IndianAmbassador to the Soviet Union during:
the years 1949-52 is unique as it laid the foundation for the fufuru
friendship between the two countries. The event that was much
talked about in those days was the rare gesture made by Josaph
Stalin in giving.audience to Radhakrishnan.
As the Vice-President of India for two: terms (1952-57, j95?-63).
and ar the President during the years 196867, he brought8 W
dignity these two highest positions of the: cou.ntr$!. I f looked 88
though Plate's ideal of Philosopher King had become a iedity in
hdia.
h he string of highest honours conferred,on him, both bdiar.:tind
foreign, include 'Bharat Ratnag (19.54). German PWr la mmiw
(1955), 'Golden Spur', the highest Vatican. award. It'Ww ..?a.
ftrred on , ~ ~ d h ~ k by h ~ VI
~ . Paul,
f ipope ~ dutiog the latter's: vi%i:t:.&
Bombay on 4 Decembei 1964; Rodb.kriihnen. ~:a$als0
pient of the Templ&on Prize for progressin ReWon (U.S;Aj.-
the @+: .
,

The publi@ia~, d, Rad@irhtUll n~mefou*:..dd

themo;f we), known.of his wofks dm.'The Hindu %W .of':%''.
<An view.of if.* '&st- &iliidr&S &lldW & l * ~ T h ~ u @ t * s
'&ahma &trai' 'The R & ~ o PWt Nead,'
b.
 After leading a fun life extending over 86 years, ~ a d h a k r i s h n a ~
died on 17 April 1975.
v;rahmgiri Veokata Giri (1894-1980)
Varahagiri Venkata Giri, popularly known as V.V. Giri was the
sccoad And hra to become the President of India. Sri Giri ha*
occupied diRerent positions a t the State level and also a t the Centre
with distinction. He carved for himself a prominent niche in th*
trade union movement of the country. In all his actions he Was
inspired by a certain set of values and never cared to cling to Pasf-
tions of power and prestige. In 1954 he did not hesitate to resign
his position as Minister for Labour, in the cabinet ol lawahar1a1
Nehru, over the Bank award issue. Another trait OF his character
was undaunted courage. In 1969, at the age of 75 he plunged himself
headlong to contest for the position of the President of India, in one
of the most keenly contested elections and defeated a fellow Andka
Shri Ncclam Sanjecva Reddy, and reached the highest position of 'be
countr y.
Sri Giri was born at Berhampor&,ia the present Ganjam district
Orissa on 10 August 1894. He was the worthy son of a worthy fatbe.?
fis-father Sri Jogaiah Pantulu, in response to the call of ~ a n d h ?
durrng the non-cooperation movement resigned his position as publlc
Prosecutor and took 'active part in the freedom struggle ofthe
country and was elected to the Central Assembly iu 1927.
Sri Giri studied upto Intermediate class at Khalli Kate CoUegc*
Bcrhampore and then proceeded to Ireland for higher education.
While a student at I r e l a d , he took keen interest in the 'Sinn Fien'
Movement ofthat country. The movement was launched for the
Independence OF Ireland from British rule. So Girj was externeJ
from Ireiand. He however was able to get his degrM in Law firarP
the National University of Dublin.
On his return, he set up his legal practice at Berhampore in 1916'
Soon he was involved in the Home Rule agitation started by
Annie Beaant. h 1921, he along with his father, Jogiah ~ a n t u l ~
joined the NO^-Cooperation Movement. For taking io this
movement he was imprisoned for a short time in 1921-22.
After his release from prison, he devoted his &ttentjoptowards
developing the trade union novcmcnt in the country on sound lines
h fact he Was one of the few politicians who raliscd tho import3ncc'
of the trade union movement in the early period of our nntfonel
struggte under Gandhiji. Along with his fellow Congress worker
from dlffercnt Parts of the Country he succaded the forming of the
All M i a Trade Union Congress. HE becamc its President in 1926
and 1942.
Ha was General stcretary of All India ra ration
for seven years md also its President for an equal number of ye'~fS.
He success full^ conducted the strike of Bengd Nagapur RaiIwH
~ ~ f k o r s . a MU^ h0 b m e prominent throughout the country.
 h '1927 he p,qtjcjpated .in tb&.~ ~ n a t i o n a l . ~ ~ " ~ j ~ B n f ~ k n Q
Geneva as the delegat= of Indian wocke$& ; e~e;~*P:pattidr;;~~di
the Round Table ConfeferencP: .,of 1:93:1.,as: *t;d;~,+Pii~&ta~,fee.~f:
workers; While in London,,albng with:hi$:fathbr, .he:rmrdeky . . ....,

tations i0 the Secretaiy of ':$,tati.farIndia :for. th=.:iip,m&7ate-

f&&aI
tion of Andhra province and -a&q o p p o d the .tridgf&i'af
Pore, Parlakimedi, Seypors and other aceas cp : ~ h ~ : . : p ~ O P ~ ~ ~ ; , ~ : ~ $
Province.
In 1936, when e'lection$were hdd undeiiht ~Gove~nrn~nf..6f.~Jndi$
Act he contested the Madras Legislative Asserirbly fiom ..@@ b6iIi
as Congress candidate. Hi$ opponent was the Rajah of Bbbbili,,.;the
Premier of Madras and the Leader of the Justice'Party. ltwjllnatbe
out of place to mention here that in this election Pundit Nehj:u w q
not allowed to address an tl.ecfion meeting oftbe Congress P&rIy..:ir;
Bobbili town. In spite of dl thdt obstacles; Giri- w b ;the:.?lebti&
~
with a thumping majority.
When the Congress formed the ministry under C. Rajagopala&ari;
Giri bceame Minister forLabourand Indus'tries.,
During the Quit India Mo.wment, Gjri was detained from Auguai:
1942 i o 1946 in different prisons at Vellore, Nngpur ctc.
He was again elected to the Madras Legislative AssembIy in: the
elections of 1946 and was Minister for Labour in the Cabinet df
Prakasam, From 1947 to. 19.51 he was High Commissioner for India
in Ceylon (Sri Lanka);
the 6rst General Elections of 1952, he wai rttumed tto:th(i:Cok
Sabba from the Patbapatnam constituency of :Srikakulam :&strict. In
1952 he became Union Minister for Labour. As already mentioned
be resigned his position ia 1954.
Before becoming the President of India in 19@, ha ghrid 4 M
distinction as the Governor of Uttat Pradesh, Keiala v ptd Mysom
(Karnataka). He was the VicaPtesident of India durlng the ye.ars.
1967-69.
Giri laid, down the office ap the President of India after eo.m~!v
ting his five-ytar term of ofice on 23 August 1874. H b ~ : ~ ~ ; d . + + t ~ d : .
with 'Bbrat Ratna'-the highest national h0naut an.theioy!(?n'of
fie Silver Jubilee of the Indian Republic on:.26 :kutua~$19715 He:
died at Madras on 24 June 1980,
m. Neehm Saqiiva Reddy (1933-1982)
h d h r a pradcsh the "niq,lJ~distincti?.n of pr.oviding tbt.
country, so f a r , k presidpe
~ who had w J ~dhbguishd.
@ .a!?*
selves in differentfields of acti~lties..SmpgUi. Radhakrlsbwh; @!?
hsthdhra fo t,aE,oio ibc prnident of India, Was a soh* :.nd
philosopha of i,.,ccrm~om! reno-, rhk V.V. 'Giri ~3 ~ ~ . & ~ @ ~
org,ni of unloll m o q e n t , q f the .w@tig? rmjl:Yf!
Rcddy who wai the ~e&id.ent. .Ind1$.-
from 1.977. to: 1:982,.; o n e
nmon .pQqr.
o.thir hand, began hi$ po@hill one of: F*ac emost
rb y u ~ d e r & r s l O d ~ ~ O ~ M Q ~
Pea.sa.ntrydf R&yBIaseem%
tho country.
 After leading a full life extending over 86 years, ~adhakrishnm
died on 17 April 1975.
II. v;rahagiri Venkata Giri (1894-1980)
Varahagiri Venkata Giri, popularly known as V.V. Giri was the
second Andhra to become the President of India. Sri Giri ha*
occupied different positions at the State Ievel and also at the Centre
with distinction. He carved for himself a prominent niche in tbd
trade union movement of the country. In all his actions he was
inspired by a certain set of values and ncvcr cared to cling to p?SIL-
tions of power and prestige. In 1954 he did not hesitate to resign
his position as Minister for Labour, in the cabinet or ~ a w a h a r h l
Nehru, over the Bank award issue. Another trait of his character
was undaunted courage. In 1969, at the age of 75 he pIunged hirnsclf
headlong lo contest for the position of the President of India, in one
ofthe most keenly contested elections and defeated a fcllow AndWa
Shri Neelam Sanjecva Reddy, and reached the highest position of the
country.
Sri Giri was born at Berhampore,io the present Ganjam district of
Orissa on 10 August 1894. He was the worthy son of a worthy fathe5
His father Sri Jogaiah Pantulu, in response to the call of ~ a n d 9 l
during the non-cooperation movement resigned his position as Pub1lc
Prosecutor and took 'active part in the freedom struggle of the
country and was elected to the CentraI Assembly in 1927.
Sri Giri studied upto Intermediate class at Khalli Kote CollcBe,
Berhampore and then proceeded to Ireland for higher educacon.
While a student at Ireland, he took keen interest in tb,e 'Sinn ~ i e n '
Movement of that country. The movement was launched for the
Independence of lreland from British rule. So Giri was errterned
from [reland. He however was able to get his degrel: in Law from
the National University of Dublin.
On his return, he set up his regal practice at Berbampore in 1916.
Soon he was involved in the: Home Rule agitation by Mfs.
Annie Betant. Ln 1921, he along with his father, Jogiah ~anttllu
joined the Nan-Cooperation Movement. For taking part in
movement he was impriboned for a short time in 1921-22.
Aftor his release from prison, he devoted his attention towards
developing the trade union movement in the country on sound linc6~
In fact he was on0 of the few politicians who realised tho importance.
of the trade union movement in the early period of our national
struggle under Gandhiji. Along with his fellow Congress
from different parts of the country he succe&d in the forming of the
All India Trade Union congress. He its President 1926
and 1942.
H c was General Secretary o f All India Railwayrnens8 Federation
for seven years and also its President for an equal number of years1
H e suc~essfuU~ conducted tho strike of ~ m g a lNagapur Railway
workers. As a result he became prominent ~ o u & o u tthe country.
 h 1927 he partic!ipated :.in.:th&:,::T~~&$h~tionai Jiab@Pc:;&:# gehi;$m
Geneva as the '&lcgatt:;6f: rndiao; :,warkti;g;::;.~&:a-~olBBtfi
the Round, Table c ~ ~ B ~ &;j;93,1 ~& ;;:;~'
<...- . . ., ;tbC:;&p'p&4ttiti9b.
Workers. Whilein L,pndon,,.a~on~'wifh~,~jS,fga@tbtr~:,~he::~ *e&*i
tations to the Secretary ,of :Sf&tefor:~dd&.;ffor~k . ~ m m t d ~ & ~ . ; ,~ ~ i
tl0n of Aadhra,provin@e.and C1io opposed jht i,m&r iqi: Bwh&L:
Pore,,Pdakimedi,, Jeypo.raand:ofhar .. &&s. tq ~th~,~i;jp:die$;~d$$$~~,
. . . . . ..
Pronnce.
In 1936, when :eltdionswcre:held under the.Gwpmcnt.$, ,Jndj,$
Act he contested the. Madras Le$jslative: Assenibly fiap! Bpbbzh
as Congress candi dote. His opponent wirs the Rajah ':oFIBobbill: tb$
Premier of Madras and the Leadei of the:.JusticbPaf:tj.:It.:~B:.nof be
out of place to. mention here that inthis. election Paridit ' N t h ~ ~ ~ : y a a .
not allowed to addrcss an electioamettingoffht :Congress. Party :,at
Bobbili town. In spite of:allthese obstacles; Giri Won ithe clectibn
With a thumping majority.
When the Congress formed the ministry under C. ~aja~.o~;~l,achafi,,
Giri became Minister for Labour and Zndus.tri&.
During the Quit India Movement, Giii wa6 dctain$d. :fromAugust
1942' to 1.946 in different prisons at VelloiZ,.Nngp~r eta.
He was again elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in,:the
elections of 1946 and was Minister for Labour in the: Cabinet.,of
Prakasarn. From 1947 to 1911 .he was High Codamissioner foi India:
in Ceylon (Sri I;anka).
In the first General Elections of 1952, h a w a ~ ~ u r n e d : . t a . t hm$: e
Sabba from tbc Psthapatnam constituency of7SrikaknJnmdistrict. 111
1952 he b m m c Union Minister for Labour. As atready mcntiohed
he resigned his position in 1954.
Before b e c o ~ a gthe President of India in 1969, he serve .,with
distinction 0s the Govtraor of Utfnr P~adah,,Keral+::and Mysort.
(Karnatak). He was the Vice-president of h d ~ aduring tha years.
1967-69.
Giri laid down the ofice as President 9f'Jndia '&r. c ~ l q ~ l ? .
ting his fivc-year ktm of officeon 23 August 19.74. W W .&yratd~.:
with 'Bharat Retna'-the hi hest national hondur . n::@e ~ ~WAQ~,.~
the Silver ~ ~ bofj the l ~ ~ Republie 4 6 hJl*f$' 1,975; .He::
died at Madras on 24 June 1980.
 WTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

- Sanjiva Reddy was born on 19 May I913 at Ufur in the Ananta-

pur district of Audhra Pradesh. He was drawn into the national
movement in 1931 and gave up his studies at Government Arts (3'-
legc, Annntapur. Zn his youth he was greatly influenced by hi8
mentor Pappuru Ramachy ulu, a noted scholar, journalist and free-
dom fighter.
Two distinguishing traits of Sanjiva Reddy's character are tena-
city and hard work. He was so committed to the ideology of the
Congress party that ha did not leave the organisation even during fbe
years 1949-53 when many stalwarts of the party in Andbra Ilke
Prakasam and Ranga Ieft the organisation and contributed to its dls-
comfiture in the first general elections of 1952. When the h d k a
state was formed in October 1953, Sanjiva Reddy succeeded in Pu-
suading leaders like Nehru to allow Prakasam to head the first
ministry even though the latter was not a member of the Congess
Party.
Sanjiva Reddy played an important role in bringing about rap-
prochement between the leaders of Teleagana and Andhra which led
to the formation of the present State of Andhra Pradesh in ~ o v e m b ~ '
1956. Sanjiva Reddy who became the Chief Minister of the enlarged
Andha State did not hesitate to give up the position in ~ e c e m b ~ ~
1959 to become the President of the Indian National Congress. He
returned to the state politics in April 1962 when he became for the
second time the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and to
be in that position till February 1964.
After the demise of Paodit Nehru in May 1964, Saojiva ReddY
withdrew from state politics and began to take prominent part I? tpe
affairs of the Congress Party at the national level. He became MUUS-
ter for Steel and Mining in the Central Cabinet formed by Lal
Babadur Sastri in June 1964.
As the Speaker, lre conducted the proceedings of the ~ o k s a b h !
with decency and decorum during the year8 1967-69. ~b the presl-
dentid election of 1969, he was defeated by V.V, Girj.
Sanjiva Reddy took the defeat with good grace and retired to his
native village 1 h r . It was only in March 1977 that he came out from
voluntav rctlrement to active politics, at the behest of admitas
and, contested elections to the Lok Sabha from the Naadyal Constltu'
cncy bf Andhra Pradesh. In that historic eI=rion he was the lone non-
Congtm Party candidate to be elected to the Sabha from ~ n d b r a
f i d a h . NO wondtr he was unanimously tlwted as the speaker of
the Lok Sabha on 26 March 1977. He did not contiolle in that
position for long since he was elected unopposed as the president of
the Indian Republic. He assumed office as President of India on 25th
July 1977 and after completing his term of ofice he returned to hlS
native district Anantapur in july 1982,
M o - ~ d a m VfweBWlwetap (1861-1961)
b d h s , it is said, can give free vent fo their talents if they are
born outside their m* or work in 0 t h ~regions of the country. This
 .. .

appears to betrue in t h e : , ~ ~ ; p f f f ~ M o ~ .b a... g

,. .. ... .:.. r. ! , l l ~ <fi&j
~~;::~&
greatest engineer t h e l c ~ u n t ~ y :$&$u;ad,,, ...,. .. ,.+ : . -.
Visveswarayy;! wasborn af , ~ d p d ' ~ h ~ i f::ilp, i ~ k7:~aBji. ~ : + ~ ~ ~ ~
sPeakingKolardis'fr~, pf the ~ a m ~ f & o n :~. i~; 5s~ ~ ~ ~~& .~ e ~ ~ ~ s
, Vi~veswarayyavs forefather+ b@longedto M ~ k & # g u n ~ . ~ , , : $ ~ ~ B &
the Kurnool district o f . A n d b . piadeh ,md:theq':&*at<d.&
,,

district in the early ,part.ofthe :last. a t u y ,

Visveswarayya'while.he was very young lqsk Gfji&@c. Srfnivasa-:
chari. He wus therefore brought up by ~ ~ : ~ cw.Fi ~ e , .-%K~:
spared no effort hi giving his nephew the best. pos.sibl&I:.. ucakoli.:
Visvcswarayya stood first. among . tliesuccissfgl candidat&;, @@p
B.A. examination froqthe Central-Collegc, Bangal:Q~.$ which;. *&
then affiliated to the University of M+dras. This cdabl@ij:-him:fo: .
secure the scholarship of the. Mysore O.ov~~nme,n(.to, pu#sii~,fu@e~:
studies i n Eagineeringyat Poona. He.took bis degKe.e in. Engineerrrig
in 1884 scburing:a firstcf'assand .winping.the much~coveted~:$wac&
the James Berkeley Prize. - This lnablkd him to j o i ~'fhePublic :.wo&
Department of the Government of Bombay iis Assistant E!nj$nier,:
He retired liom the sirvice ofBombay Govcroment a 3 Superinijnd-
ing Engineer in 1:908.
Visveswarayya showed his brilliance b.y introducing what iva,
,

known as the Block System of Irrigation. His talents were- recogtiis&

bytersons like Lord Kitchener,, t h e Commander-iPChidof hd.$
a n Lord Sydenham<tir Govcmor of, Bombay, ,wh.m,they saw the ,,

Khadakvasla Reservoir at Poona bugt a:$ per ;tbc riew :inn,ov~ki&'

introduced b y Visveswarayya, The new innovation was tf~o~'~'?au@- . .
matic waste weir floodgate~.".
The services of Visverwarayya were used by the: .Gtwetnm;ent:of'
Hyderabad to control the floods of the Musi River, whieh cau$gd
immense damage ta,lifeand piopeny of the a t y of Hydcrabgd in
190s: The Hydcrabad Government implemented the reconimmdafions
of Visveswarayya and saved the,.cityof Hydirabad from .$a ,scour@
of annual floods. Again in 1922 his services were udid.d F&,&
drawing up the drainage scheme to Hyderabad city.
Visveswarayya was the maker of modern Mysorq,;-,,,+s:t~~:~:yw
of Mysore during the yeam 1912 to 1918 he initiated:md:~8@1bb&bW
of Mysore by starting ihe Mysore Iron find Works:a!:Bbh>
vati. &l.ier fig the Chhf En*in&r of the Public Works p~.a.mdi'
Of the Government of Mystyre, he was responsible ,for the
tion of a dam across the river CBuycry, n : a r K$nnambaaf..duf!g$
This dam known as Krjshn Raja S a w Dam and thefamou8i
daven Gardens attached to it arb:well.knowatkroughout the w*-m
!*
and they testimony to the winbesing sk111 and aesthe(k? -@.
of Viov~watayya. ..... . . .. . .
,

wc mi, redin t b e : i m p o t i m ~ ~ ; ~ f ~ p ! ~ g ~
,

~isvcrranyyn
Hia ideas artf l a o n j and
~ ~ d o ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ sofL the
l t i 0EountrY
fJ @:gshkfbe
faney ofno lest 1 persop the! PmdB ,J~wLba.rI$~~ N @'sPUtlnl ~ ~ ,
at a Iirndion, Bangaloh;. to honour YMV~%RWXY~: da'hs
186 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

hundred* birthday Nehru said that Viveswarayya was a dreamerl

thinker and s man of action and that the country is full of memon*ls
of the work done by him.
Visveswarayya was really a 'Bharat Ratna' (Jewel) a d it is no
wonder that the Gavertlment of India bestowed on him the bighest
honour of the country-Bharat Ratna in 1955.
V, Baghnpati Venkatsratnam Naido (1862-1939)
+dhra Pradesh was singularly fortunate in having a social refor-
mer like Kandukuri Vceresalingam ( 1 848-19 19) who by his pioneer-
xng efforts, in the middle of the last century, widened the outlook of
the Andhrrrs. By the turn of the last century Andhra was no longer
a centre of tradition and conservatism. It was in the mood to accept
new ideas and move with the times. Further, the Vandemafarao'
and Swadeshi movements created a new awakening among the mas-
SOS. These favourable circumstances were exploited to the fullest
extent by Raghupati Venkataratnarn Naidu to accelerate the pace
social reform in Andhra. That is why Sri Naidu i s regarded as the
second great social reformer of Andhra after Kandukuri Veerera-
liingam.
Raghupati Venkataratnam Naidu was born in Machilipatnam
1862- As his father Appaiah Naidu was serving In the army, young
Raghapati hadJo move from placa to pIace throughout the countryo
This enabled h ~ r nto study in different parts of the country under
distinguished teachers of the day.
Raghupati passed his M~ltriculationexamination at ~ ~ d e r a b a * .
There he was fortunate to study under the famous teacher,
Aghornatha Chattopadhyaya, father of Sarojini Naidu. For his
degre6, Venkataratnam Naidu proceeded to Madras and joined the
Madras Christian College in 1885. There he came under the benign la-
fluence of its Principal, Dr. Miller. Rev. William Miller was the out-
s h n d h educationalist of South Indja. It is said of him that he used
to remember the names and biodata of all his students. In
parlance tho students of the Madras Christian Couege were referred
to as 'Gentlemen.'
Venkataratnam Naidu took his M.A. and t.T,degrees from the
' Madras University and chose the career of teaching.
He worked as Principal of Mehaboob College, Secunder~bad,
frOUi 1889 tQ 1904. From 1905 to 1919 he was the principal of
Pitapuram Rajah's College, Kakinada.
The Rajah of Pitapwarn was 8 man of liberal outlook and a great
~ h i l a n t h o ~ i s tHe
. was tbe patron of tducation, literature and fife
arts. In order to encourage college education ameng girfs, he *dmlt-
fed girh into his college without collecting tuition ftes. Further,
girls were given free accommodation and boarding in the hostels.
The liberal outlook of the Rajah was fosbred by kaghupati V d a -
taratnam Naidu.
Sri Naidu lost his wife when he waa only 27 years of age. He
then decided to remain single and dedicated hh life b r the upjihment
 M. Dr. B. Pattabbl ~ltaramayps. (ISSD-I~S~)
Dr. Bhogafaju Pattabhi siku8rnayya. popularly kn0wn.k~. 'Dr. '
pattebhi, was a many-sided personality. By profession he was: a
physician, but by temperament an astut,~businessman. He Was '&c
crealer of many iusurance and banking concerns like Andha :hit-
ranee Company. Bhegyalakshmi Bank and the Andhra . E d . - Jn'
spite of these bushes$ activities he found time to S t a t ~ d ~ t d r t i ~ ~ .
9 g s . h weekly 'Janm. Bbuf~?io 1919. 1921 he . Q I ~ ~ & ~ < , ~ ~ @
,*to the National Movement and becamcane or the\trwted.h%+
nants of Mahatma Gandbi, ... .. ...
:.

Patlabbi ~ i wo. born ~ ~undugojal.~

~ in West ~ ,:Gob4 ~
vafi di$rrict on 23 No"e@er 18@). His farher ,Ve&kdb. Sub%*-
manyam khg tksratumJ,of th-ulage. PatfaPhi obla4ae.d ib*;
degree of M B.C.M. (n rnedi.cjn$and C O ~ ~ C bU iF L~ : . ! ? ~ ~ ~ ~ d ~ !
polaeal of A n d b , Dr. patbbh
*-vb
at hlachiliparnam, theheaclquerters o f the .d1strlct. . .-:
iatc k~..@l.*.
~ C B O ~ ~ O
in a&irr and bew&e;.fbe
~ , champion
" d q
fh& for the
years 19firm!&!@
1:2-r13:
W
u w
of
se~ar.tr bdhn pmvin~ei
there :great wntroversy .:over,the dairability of;:q*g,.,=
rcpmte province jOUIn&
foik d h rcxPWa& nmb~:d~#** &
a , be '~f0te:a .nf'
&e n e d 41 G&hd~dl@* ~ W D ~ L
tion of ii~guisticp t ~ ~ i n ~ e ~ . ,
188 ~TORYOFMODERNAND~RA
0

At the Lucknow session of the Congress in 1916 he demanded the

formation of a separate Congress circle for Andhra. The demand
was opposed by no less a person than Mahatma Gmdhi, but as
'l3Iak supporred Pattabhi, the Congress high command conceded *e
demand. In 1918 the Andhra Congress Committee came into ex!=-
ten=.
Pattabhi was in the thick of the National Movement from 1920
to 1947. He spent nearly 8 years in prison. He was member of
the working Committee of the Congress for a number of y e y a and
the President of Andhra Provincial Congress Committee d u r W the
years 1937-40.
Gandhiji was so impressed by Pattabhi's adherence to Congress
ideology that he openly supported the latter in the election of lhe
President of the Congress for Tripuri Session of 1939- In Ibat
historic election Pattabhi was defeated by Subhas Chflndra Dose.
Gandhiji then declared that Pattabhi's defeat was his own defeat-
Though Subhas Chandra Bosa became the Congress President, he
could not form the Working Committee as he failed to win the con-
fidence of "India's Greatest man." Subhas Cbandra Bose therefore
left the Congress and formed his own party-'Forward Block.'
Pattabhi had t o wait till 1948 to become the President of the
Congress for its Jaipur Session. Aftcr the country became indepen- .
dent, he continued his efforts for the formation of a separate Andhra
Province. He was a member of the J.V.P. Committee (the other
members were, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel) which re .
commended the formation of Andhra State without Madras city.
Pattabhi was fortunate to see the fulfilment of his life's ambition
when Aodhra Pradesh came into existence in November 1956. He
acted as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh from July 1952 to June
1956. He died in Hyde~abadon 17 December 1959.
Pattabhi was a prolL&cwriter and his publications include the two
voIurnc monumental work "History of the Indian National cong-
ress," "Gandhi and Gandhism," and "Feathers and Stones."
VLT. Potti Stiramdo (1890-1952)
Andhras are by nature emotional and as such are capable of mak-
ing s e a t sacrifice for the Muses dearest to them. During o m strug-
gle for freedoms many Andhras like Alluri Sitarama &ju,:Kannega~ti
Hanumanthu, the illiterate peasant of Palnadu, laid down their lives
and became martyrs. Apart from the freedom of the country
cause that involved Andhras emotionally was the crtation of a sepa-
rate ~ d province-
h ~ Though the agitation for the creation of a
separate Andhra province started as early as 1 g 13,
that issue to the background from 1920 onwards as they felt that
priority should be given for attaining the c o u ~ t ~ l s
After our CounUY became free in August 1 947, ~ ~ felt &at
d b
a 8 F a t e p r o v i n ~would be created for thm no time, sbce the
e.btion manifesto of t h Congress Party in 1946 pmm-sed mea-
haof b u i s t i c P ~ o v ~ C - ~ S They
. felt c h t e d t w n *pito of the
 APPENDIX
*
election pledges of the, Congras: I@arw, ad.&e; J.v,E g k ~ b f ~ . , ,
Andhra province w a g no,whercjoSighte~:&~j$&,~ 3a$aici@&1
OUT country :attained.:independedCBCBi' If,was.,in:lsu~h::,,&fi:'~~&$$$l$i~
,

~ &> +.,.,: ~....! ~., 8

charged atmosphiie that Pot,ti' ~ r i r & ~ ~ , ' ' ' @ . , $ ~ ~mla~.+*- ,
~ . :~ ;
..

dedicated Congress worker, uaflettook the~~epk.&.si'in~tbc:,Wditiii&,

of Gandhiji-on 19 October 1952 andsacrificed his .an45-D:qm-:
ber 1952 so that the Aodhra mayhave statejof xheir own2 .rt'da$
the martyrdom of Potti. Sriramu]u.tbati led io:dt :cp$Gon, o! : :
separate Andhre State in October 1953; ? .....
i

Sriramu'luwas boin.in MadraG '*. 18%- His paient&.@iil$;jf$q,m.

Nellore. district but settled in 'Madras. Srira.puIu had .:h~q::qjIr
education in Madras and,procccde.d.:to.Bbmbay.:forhkhi$..scudigs:in;.
engineering. After completing hiseducition:h.e worked ai ;a:n:,&g/;.
new in the Great.Indian Peninsular Railway, Bombas
The turning point in his Iife came in his twenty-fi(& .y~,w:{~h'ju;.ih+
lost his wife. He felt lonely and dejected. Ile then decided to:dhdi-.
cate his life for the nation. He .rcsignidj his job .&pdjojnd :the
Sabarmati Ashram. His silent.and sincere workfwpn the admiration
of Oandhiji. He spent some time in constructivu workat Pajkot ... .
Ashram also.
- . In 1946, he returned to Nellore district and devoted his;tl:me for
Harjjan welfare work and pr.op.~gation of Khgdi .and villag~._m4u~
tries; After-tb.e:.deafhof G.a!tdbiji he intensified his .@ct!v~heS.:~
' Kb
propagate the ideals of the Mahatma. 'Heun.de90ak :!.~fc'(rj, .fai%%~
during the years 1.946-48for the temple entry of ~ a t i j t i n $ : ~ n : ~ e I l o g .
district. After his reiurn to Andhra in 1946 he was :.able-:l:t~, ,:gaug~
the feelings of the Andhras an the question o f the f0rm8ilq.of4
separate province. As mentioned earlier it was l~$epCcff!st;In;$9$
that resulted in the of Andhra state,, By his;martyrhom Sm
rarnulu bas became the "ArnarajevY'or the-immarla!,
190 HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

Along with Andhra ~ c s a hT. Prakasam she ~articipated in

the Salt Satyagraha movement in Madras city in May 1930. She
was imprisoned in 1930 and again in 1932. In spite of ber active
participation in the national struggle Durgabai found time to take
the M.A. and B.L.degrees. From 1935 till her death she devoted
her entire energy for the welfare of women and children.
In 1936 she established Andhra Mahila Sabha mainly to coach
young Telugu girls of Madras city to appear for the Matriculation
examination of the Banaras Hindu University. Fro.? such a
humble beginning Andhra Mahila Sabha became within one decade
a great institution of education and social welfare in the city of
Madras. She had the unique capacity to get funds for her institu-
tion from both the rich and poor alike. Andhra Mahila Sabha
trained women in various activities like nl~rsing, journalism, and
teaching. Durgabai founded and edited a monthly journal in
Telugu called 'Andhra Mahila.' The activities of Andhra Mahila
Sabha attracted the attention of Pandit Nchru who waatcd to otilise
the services of Dllrgabai at the national level.
At the national level Durgabai's services were utilised fully. She
w u the Chairwoman of a number of central organisations like.
Central Social Weifare Board, National Council for Women's Educa-
tion and National Committee on girls' and women's education.
She was a Member of the Parliament and Planning Commission.
She was also associated with the Andbra Educational Society, New
Delhi.
After the formation of Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Mabila Ssbha
extended its activities to Hyderabad city. At Hyderabad Andhra
Mahila Sabha, besides running a number of educational institutions
includins a college, opened many welfare institutions for women
and children.
Durgabai was awarded the fourth Nehru Literary Award
1971 for her outstanding contribution to the promotion of literacy
in India. In 1975 she was awarded 'Padma Vibhushan.' In
her death the country has lost one of the most dynamic women of
the country.
IX. N.C. Ranga (1900-)
Before our country attained freedom in 1947 the coastal districts
of Andhra Pradesh were dotted with a large number of zamindaris.
The condition of the peasantry in these Zamindafis was one of
serfdom. The Non-Cooperation Movement launched by Mahatma
Gandhi crated a new awakening even among the peasantry living
in' remote And& vi~ages. The credit for channelling this new
awakening into a powerful peasant movement goes to Goginen I
Rangaaayakulu popularly known as N.G. R ~ ~ ~ ~ .
RaWa wa! born on 7 November 1900 at Nidubrolu in Guntur
district.He halled from a progressive community of farmers known
as Rammas- Guntur district was the bastion of the Non-Cooperation
in Andha. Three glorious episodes in the freedom
 I
struggle nameIy thl Chirala-Perala.Stidgglbi'i'.tbe:fi.~~~~~atyi$r~
PaInadll and No-tax Campaign '*f Pe:d.anadipadO,,., +hich:::tohk.$!ic&
1 4 the Guntur district naturally :creaTd an indejible. :)irnprtsaioh'':ii&,
the mind of Ranga. He mada.a specidstudy ilP~e:.p~~o.ble.ms:.oE: :be '
I Klsans andland-tenancy laws.
R a w pioceeded & England ror:higher studies,, :aha :qbi*id
his R.l-i ft . degree from the Oxford Uaivefsityh 1.926..:<Fbf:-it&eer
Years 1927-30, he worked a$ Piofasor of,Eecinomfg:end pbl{@d:,
Science at Pachaippa Callega, Madras. When. Mila&atm& G--dhi..
started the Civil Disobedience.Movement'in1930, :Fan&: :ri;%$oc$:
his Post as Professor and joined'the Nation.al Mci'.vemenf~He:a~'grini-.
sed'tbeNo-tax Campaigo in Krishna and Bodavari clis'iricta.. . ,-

Ranga made a spkial study of the probl.ems.of tb.c Zam.ind$,,

Peasantry and felt that they should,bs properly aigimiscd'!o:. ;fight:
tlie atrocities . of 'the Zamindars. During the years 1933-36, '(he
conducted successfully the.peasant movement in Venka,tagiri-one
of the big Andhra Zarnindaris in Nellom district. Vu.i.lag
Period Rnnga's sympathies were witb the lefiists. He however,
continued to remain in the Congress Party. In 1934 he established
the Lndian Peasants Institute at Nidubrolu and conducted "politicat
classes". Many young freedom fighters like. Gouthu Latchanna,
Pulle!a Syamasundara Rae, P,Thimma Reddy came under the
influence of Ranga:and became his able lieutenants.

i
The activities of Ranga in organking the .peasaniiy*!attFapt+
the attention of the national leaders and in 1936 he'.pres~dedo y q .
the Faizpur Session of the All India Kisan Congess and became rts,
General Secretary in 1938. During the.years 1938-110, .anga,,la.uni..
ched a soccesshlKisan agitation in the Mandasa Zamiadhr!..'of
Srfkakulamdistrict. 14 this struggle Gouthu Latchanna and Pulkla
Syarnasundara Rao played prominent roles. During-the: 'Qslit':
India' mowment Ranga was detained in dseerent prisons at rill*..
Damoh, etc.
1.948, ~~~g~ be-6 tbc p'&Jryo,atof the ~ ~ d h r ~ : P b . d c i a l '
Conererr Committn and work4 with PFJbpm- BUt he':WWd
from lac Congress as he,w fed up with the. 15.figheg : ~ i ~ h i n ~ * ' .
organisation.1 . ,951 he found,d the Krhhika-pWY, 'fK..s.?{!-:
Eerlior he organired wwvcn , b Y p l l b l i s h i ~ . t hAll
e 'rndl.'Weew
Congress.
R ~is P~, abb~ psr,jamenbri.n.
~ ~ lo fact. .be is fbci :9!4~

'
A

H i s . p&t.iltmcn@W:
individual t o complete f l years io p$lyen!; anlra, Le-id9d*t
It14..
,

career began when hc.b&amc.tlMember of the

*sacrnbly i. 1,932. . .presat 1 mc.mbn offiny 'ihc R?j3'a-
:.fi&$ Wn,@
In his long political career spmd!?f3 ;::7 Nahtd *d. qq!.
worked with such e.mincnt ~ e n ~ n d FHe
.mm\,;l<&
~~ twk~~I. *bed
hgadiffered with Nohm 0.c
ge
h n d s :with C. ~ a j . 6 0 I J a l a ~ did
which was a conservativi Party;
~~~
do.
hdt,l,dyin
~ ,,t6s~~m
sv8, , ; *,,h;sty
 HISTORY OP MODERN ANDHRA

Party for long. He rejoined the Congress Party led by MIS ~ n d i r a

I
Gand hi in 1 97 1.
Ranga has travelled extensively and represented India in many
foreign forums. He was the author of a number of books whlcb
include Credo of World Peasantry, Figlit for Freedom, ~ e v b l u -
fianury Pearant. In all his activities Ranga was ably assisted by
his wife Bharati Devi who in her own right was a noted freedom
fighter. She expired on 27 September 1972. .
X. Bnrgnla Ramakrishna Rao (1899-1967)
The Telengana Region of Andhra Pradesh produced eminent
leaders in all walks OF life. rn the field of politics, leaders 1 lke
Ravi Narayana Reddy, M. Chcnna Reddy and P.V. ~ a r a s i m h a
Rao have played an important role. I n contemporary Telugu
literature, C. Narayana Reddy and Dasarclthi Krishnamacharya are
the leading figures. They also hail from Telengana. Burgula
Ramakrishna Rao the Chief Minister of the first popular ministry
m the former State of Hyderabad was a poet, politician and a
polyglot. The list of achievements of the short statured R a m -
krishna Rao is a lpng one.
Ramakrisbna Rao was born on 13 March 1899 at the village
Burgula in Mahaboob Nagar district. He adopted the name of the 1
viLlage Burgula as his 'Intiperu' (literal meaning 'House name' or I
the family name). After his early education at Hyderabad, he
proceeded to Pune and Bombay for higher education. After getting
his B.A. and L.L.B.degrees he enrolled himself as Advocate at
Hyderabad. Ramakrishna Rao was well versed in six languages,
English, Telugu, Sanskrit, Marathi, Urdu and Persian. He was the
author o f two books in Telugu, Krisi~na Satokanl and Sarasllatu
Vyasa Muktavali.
Lika other Telengana leaders of the years 1920-40 Ramakrishna
Rao also came under the influence of Andhra Pitamaha (Grand-
father of Andhra) Madapati Hanumantha Rae and was one of the
founder-members of the Andhra Jana Sangham (the premier asso-
ciation of the Telengana peopIe during the years 1921-3I ) and the
library movement. He was a member of Hydeabad State Reforms
Association. It is interesting to note that though Ramakrishna
Rae's sympathies were with the Zndian National Congress, he was for
a time associated with the 'Comrades Association' which was the
mIi& front organisation of the Communists of Hyderabad,
The Andhra Kendra Jana Sangham converted itself into Andhra
Mahasabha in 1930 to play a more active role in the social, culturftl
and atso political affairs of Telengana. Ramakrisba Roo became
President of the Second Seasion of the Andha Mahaabha held
at Devarakonda in 1931.
Ramkdshna Rae took a leading part in h e formation of t h e I
Hyderabad State Congress. But the Prime Minister ofHyderabad
mte, Sri Akbar Hydari banned the Hydembd State Congress
h t m g that it was a COtnmunel body afiliated to a
 APPENDIX. I. 3
. .
4
'

party outside the State, RarnakrjsfinaRaq tried in \rain,~::,wp~~ce

the State Government that thc,Stak.Congfekg:was net a comm'djfia
Party and that it had no outsideaffiliati.0n6, Durihg@;:years 19.32.
1947 Ramakrishna Rao. was :-rested many timesfir' '&fying,tb.
Orders of the government and addressing public me.etinp. :His 'last:
detention was in 19.47 when he actiYely participgted H,th$:'~oin
India Movement.'
After tlte 'police action' on Hyderabad State in Stgtqbcr 194'8.
Ranlakrishna Rno played a n important role for tbe formation :of..
a Popular government in the State. During the years 1950-52, Rama-
krishna Rao bename Minister for Revenue and Educetion in the
Cabinet of h i . K . Vellodj.
The first General Elections of 1952 created a peculiar situtifion
in State of I-Iyderabad. In the T6lcngana region Com.munists
were returned to the State Assembly in large n,umbers, but in'ththt
Maratwndaand Karnatak regions, Congress swept >thepolls., When:
the first populor Ministry was formed in March 1952, Ramahshne
Rno bectxrne the natural choice:ior the Chief Miaigership. H e y&8
one of the few Conkrcss candidates ieturned to the a s s q b l y from
TeIengrrna region and the only one who enjoyed the confidenceof
the two othcr regions of the State.
Ramakrisl~naRao played a very crucial part inthe emergence of
Visa1 Andhra or Andhra P~adcshas it is now known. Had he lent
his weight in favour of a:separat&Telengma: :State, Andhnl,Pcd=b
would not'have come inlo existence. Ramakrrsha b o knew :that
with the emergence of Andhra Pradesh, his active politicalJfe.w d d
cofne to an end, He preferred political mnjbilation t o cnab1et.ha
Andhras realise their long cherished goal.
From June 1957 to June 1960, Ramakrishna *s 'the
Governor of Kerala. He was trans'ferrcd t o Uttar pcadesh wBe*
he continued in that position from ,July 19hOto June 1962. .Aft=
laying down an GoverrLtr of Ultar Pradesh, Rmakrisbm~'
Riio became a member of tfig Rejya Snbha during the Years,1962-66i
RamPlkrjshnaRno in his long political Career was-as! o.c~at~d ~ 1 ~ .
numbor of organisatianr like Bh8r.t Sevak SsmaJ, Bbbady@
Vidya ~ f , &,dhra ~ ~ Prsdelb
~ , .,
Kcadra. . ~JdMabads, .@uk6bim
Bharat Hindi Prfichar Sabha, ctc. In 'thedeath of R ~ I U ~ ~
an 1.5S ~ p k t m b ~ r,967 at ~ ~ J e r a b a dAndhra
, wta
P e e h has
leader noted for his intelletuirl briI1ia.n.~and political maturity'
 Select Bibliography

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Report of tl~e Comt~rittee of Jlnist~ 011 !he TeItngond Sapguarda
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White Paper on Hyderabztd, Ncw Delhi, 1948.
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196 HISTORY OF MODFIX ANDHRA
0

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Ramarao, M.: Atldhra Throirgh The Ages, Guntur, n.d.
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Ramesan, N : Temples and Legends of And11ro Pradesh, Bombay,
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Richards, J.F.: High Lights of Freedom Muwmenr in Andhra Pradesh,
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 R u d r a ~ ~Cbowdary,,
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Sarada Raju. A.: Econonzic Co~~LJjtio~ru
in M~diu&PMlde~~ey,!@O-
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Sita~ati,G.V., Hisfory o j TeIr~g~r Literafirre New Delhi, 1968.
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Balaramarnurtt~~, Y.:Altdhrula Sanlkshipfa Charitra (Concise History
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198 HISTORY OF MODERF ANDHRA

Narasimha Rao, Y .: A~rdhraKcsari Prakasai~t(Prakasam-Lion of

Andhra). Tanuku, 1962.
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Secunderabad, 1972.
Pratapa Reddi, S.: ~irrtllrr.ulaSrrrrghikoCl~arirr-a(Thesocial History
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Sundarayya, P.: Visalauihralo Praja Rajyamu (People's Government
in Greater Audhra), Vijaynwada, 1946.
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dia), Vol. 111, Madras, 1959.
Veerabhadra Rao, K.: C.P. Brolvn, Hyderabad, 1963.
Veercsalingam, K.: Svecya Chatitrarnu (Autobiography), 2 Vols.,
Rajdhmundry 1954.
Venkatappaiah, K.: Sttecfl Charitra (Autobiography), Vijayawada,
1955.
Venkata Subbaiah, G: M N I U Rytu Pedda (Our elder peasant),
Vijayawada, 1958.
Pr~jana)~akuduPrakasani (Prakasam-The Leader
of the ~ e o ~ l eVijayawada.
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: Dr C.R.Reddy; Vijayawada, 1963.
Veakateswarulu. V.: Dr Bhogaraju Pottablri Sitaramayya Jivitaniu
(The 11fe of Dr B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya), Madras, 1952.
 INDEX
Adam, John 40
Adilabad In, 141
Administration, under the Ccown
58-64
Adoni 44, 47. 130
Agcncy Area 156
Ailereyn Drnlrmann 1
Aiyer. Ekambara 86
Atampar 124
AliKhan,MirOsman(Nizam) 150
All India Trade Union Congress 182
Allaudin, Moulvi 52
Alur 130
Amaravali School of Art 6
Amhnina 22, 24
Ambur, Balile of 3 1
American Baptist Mission 56
Anierican Civil War 60
Amukta Mulyudt~163
Anandacharyulu, P. 73; 7 4 8 7
Anantpur I n , 44, 45, 73, gS, 115,
118,130
And hrn Jana Kendra;Sangham 121
Andhra Jdna Sangham 121, 192
Andhrn Jatecya Kalassla 78,g0, 100
Andhra Mahnsabhn 85, 86-87, 88,
90,91,92, 94, 101, 1 10, 113, i 18,
119-20, 126, 133, 147. 192
Andl~rnMaha Sabha (Nizam) 122,
123-2. 137
'Andhra Mahila' IW
Andhra Mahila Snbha 122. (89,190
Andhru Palrika 82, 1 1 8
Andhra Pradesh 1, 5 8 . 14446, 173
176,179
Andhrn Prukarlka 7 3
Andhra Province. den~nnd for 1 13,.
128
'Andhra. Samvardhjni Grandhala-
yam' 74
Andhra University 113-15
Andhra Vidyapeelha Goshthi 100
'Andhraula Charitcarnu' 80
Anglo-Nizam, Treary of 34
Anj'aiah, T. 179,180
Annamocharya, T ~ l l a p e k a163
Aonapurnaiah. Madduri 110
Anwaniddin 31
Aravida dynasty 12, 16
Art 6.11
~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ Q~~~~~ ~ , j5-90 ~ l ~ ,
Arya Samaj 123
Asn)~mr!huni~eevir~tJolne e v h Yatra 110
Assaye, Battle of 36
Aurangabnd Out-break 52
Aurangzcb 17.18, 27
Bahrnani kingdom 16
Bala BI~areliSarnithi 77
Bancrji, Surendranath 76.43, 94
Bapaila 80,83; Conference 8'4-R6
Dnpsyya, Peta 98
Bardoli Saiyapraha 101, 105. 107
~ a s a v a p u n n n i ~ M.
h , 147, 151, 1541
155 .
~ a s l a i46
r
Bellary 45, 47, 73. 85, 121, I 26, lj0.
145
Belldry Raghiva 160
Een~a!3 3
~ e t i t i n c k Lord41
,
Betar, cession of 42,65
Eerhampur 2% 46, 73, 8S* ,.". '*'
112, 118, 145
hsnflt, Annie 88. 89,9O, 91
~hektavalsalam128
Bharatiya .rsnnla Party 179
Bltava nache UI u, V. '83
Bhave, Vinoba. 1s
Bh~emunipelnam21,28,43
200
Bidar 141
HISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA

CPI (M) 154,157

Bijapur 14
Bobbili, Battle of 32
Bobbili, Raja of 108, 109. 1 16, 183
Box, Souren lS9,lCO
Bose, Subhas Chandra 188
Brahmayya. G . 117
Brahmo Samaj 187
Brown, Charles Philip 48, 166. 167
Bu~rnn22. 46
Bussy 32, 33
Campbell. Gen 50
Carnatic 25, 31-33
Chanda Railway Scheme, Agitation C ~ ~ PSir
of 65-66
Chanda Saheb 31
Chandragiri 16,25
Chandu Lal 37-38, 39,40, 41
Chandurti, Battle of 33
Charminar 17
Chattcrji, Bankim Chmdra 76
Chattopadhyaya, Aghoranath 64,186
Chenckryya, Darsi 78,94
Cbetti. P. Tyagaraja 11 2, 1 16
Cliigurupannu 67
China 11.19,54,155
Clrirala-Ptrala Satyagrahn 99,100- Deshabhimanl 81, 82
102
Chitlaor In, 45.53,85,93.96, 131
Choudhari. Tripuraneni Rama- Doath, Ramakrishna 123
swamy 92
Chowdari, Maj. GM.J.N. 137. 138. Dupleix 31
152
Chowdari, Parvalaneni Viraygn 104.
105
Church Missionary Society 69
Civil Disobedience Movement 109-
10, 134
CLive, Robert 33. 34
Coconada Literary Association 55. East India company:
73
Cen, Jan Pieterszoon 23
Comn10nweal89
Communist movement 154
Communist Party 109,125, Id, 137,
139,147;banon124.138.149-50
Communist Party of India (CPI)
153,154,156
I
CP1 ( M - t ) 155.158
Compagnie Des Indes 27
Comrades Association 110
1
I
Congress Forum for Telengana 177
Cotlgress, Indian National 73, 74,
87, 108, 113, 117,129, 131, 139
Congress, Hyderabad State 142
Congress (I) 179
Congress Socialist Party 109
Cornwallis, Lord 34
Cotton, Sir Arthur 48
Council o f Regcncy 65
Cousins, J.H. 6 2 , 90
P Stafford
~ S 1101 lzO
Cuddaprrh 44,51,53,73,85,93
Curnban 45
DaIe, Thomns 23, 24
Dange. S A. 154
Dar Commission 125.27, 144, 145,
144
Das, C.R. 97,133
Davidsan, Col. 52,64
Day. Francis 25
Dclhi Sultanatc 9, 10
Desbmukh, Durgabai 109, 134, 189-
90
Drnke, Francis 2 1
D U ~ C I \ ; coming of 20; factories and
seitlement on Andhra Coust 21,
22; Rivalry with E.I.C. 23-24;
Settlements at Pulicat and A r m -
goan 25,28
17, 20; corn-
ing cf the English 21.23; Rivalry
will) the Dutch 23-24; Acquisi-
tion of Madras 24-26;Establish-
merit of new Company 26;
Acquisition ~~~b~~ 26; F ~ ~ -
mationofHonaurableEastIndia
Company 27; Textile trade by 27.
28; Nizam nnd 3b42; ~ i v a l r y
 with French 31-33; Adrninistra- Goud, Dr Raj Bahadur 147
tion and i t s cffect 4448: impact Gour, Rajahhadw 110
of the Revolt of 1857.51 aowdha, Kempe I65
Education 47. 55.63,70 'Grants-in aid* system 48; 56
Eight Point Plan 175 Gulbarga 14
Elections 116, 117,139, 152-53, 154, Guntur In, 56,74, 130,133
156, 157, 179, 183,193 Gupta, Remaswamy 74
Elizabeth I. Queen 21 Curunatharn, J. 83
Elum 32, 47, 74, 89,96,99
England 21,27
Europe 19 Hala, King 3,161
Exports 46 Handicrafts, decline of 46,60-61
Hmrnmfho.Kanouganti 103.18B
Hawkins, a p t . 22
Famines 25,45,50,60 Hazara Rama Temple 15
Firkn Development Scheme 135 Hippon 22
Fitch, Ralph 21 Hitakarini Sarnajam 73
Forde. Col. 33.43 Home Rule Movement 88-91
Forest Satyagraha see Palnad Sotya- Hosur 146
graha Hontman. Cornelis da 20
Fraser, Sir Andrew 76 Hunter, Mack 78
prwch; Settlements in ~ ~ Hydari,
d b
Sir ~ 123- lg2
Coast 27.28; Rivalry with East Hyder 34' "
JndIa Company 31-33,35 Hydarabad In, 17,30.40,S1, 5 2 ~ 6 3 ,
65,84,137, 141,176
Hyderebad Contingent 38
Gadwd 124
Ganapakhideva, King 7-8
Gandhi, hdira I79 Ibrah~m,S y d 110
&andhi Mahatma %,97. 99, 101, l-C-S. 48. 55. 58
102,105, 108,109,132, 149, 187, s5
188 h a m rrad 58
Ganjam 58, 75-76,93, 14, 14s Indian msant6 Institute '91
"Getha Saptasathi' 161 1slarnic Cderence 7
Gautamiputra Yajmsri 5 ~tt&cbad-ul.Muslimerm Farty 137,
aatltmen'r ~gr-t 142-44, 173 150
ohofh, Ajoy 153
Girt. V V 108, 117, 1 R2-83
Girijans 53,151,126 ~ahangir22
'Glob?' 22-23 Jai Adbra M o m n t 173,176; 177
Godavari river 45, 48, 59, 140; ~a)lianwalaBash M 1 ~ ~ a p t 9 7
Project 141 Janekamma, Dieurnart i 109
Godolphin's award 26 ~anasokthi155
Oakhate, Oopalkrishna 89 'Jamla B h d ' 155
C3olcom(a 14,16 Japan 75
Gooty 61,71 Jimah, M.A.93,133
Oopalakri~hnay~s,Dqggtrah g ~ , Jo~aish.V.V. 87. 107s
9!@-100 jt&anmtu, Xandfimla 94
Gopicband, T. 110 ~ n d h~ o - t 1371,15Q
202
Joshi, P.C. 153
JournaIism, growth of 73-76
Justice Party 98,112-13, 116
J.V.P. Committee 127, 128,188
Kaihsarn, Adhibatla 158, 159
hkatiya Sanchika 122
Kakatiyas of Warangal 6-1 1
Kakinnda 59,77, 85, 86, 89, 99
Kanakamma, Pona ka 99
Kanyasulkam 169
Karaikal 27
Karimnagar In. 141
Kamataka 1, 119, 124, 138, 139,
144. 145-46
Karve, Maharshi 121
Khadakvasla Reservoir 185
Khammam In, 122,141
Kharda. Battle of 35
Khijafat Movement 97
Khilji, Allaudin 9
Khosla Committee 130
Kirk Patrick, Capt Achilles 35, 36
Kisan Agitation 191
Kisan Movement 110
Kisan hfajdur Praja Party 129, 130
Koilkuntla 44
Kalar 145
Koraput 144
Kovelakunda, Battle of 13
Kriahika Lok Party 130,131, 191
fihhna Parrlko 73, V . 82
Krisbna Raja Sagar Dam 185
Krisbna River 45,48.59, 140
Krisbadevaraya Andhra Bhagha
Nilayam 122
Krishnamachari, T.T. 128
Krishaamacharya, Dasarathi 172,Marga Kavitha 162
1%
Krupanidbi, G.V.133
Kshetrayya 164
Kurnool ln, 47, 131
Kurnool-CuddapahCauaI 59
Lehoti, Srinkasa 147
hjpat Rai, Lala 76
-L Ray& Parhhodhaka Missionary Sch001s 4 8 . ~ 5 ~ 5 6
HISTORY OF MODERN A N W ~ R A
Mandali 122
Lakshmanna, Ganti 77
Lakshmi b a y a m m ~U
, n n a v ~99
Lakshminarasimbao. C. 166
Lakshminarayana, Unnava 83,102
Language, Telugu 1, 10
Lalcbanna. G. 142, 191
Lanwster. James 22
Latchanna, Govthu 110
Library Movement 121
Literature 10,15, 161-68; of Kskati-
yas 10-11
Lokaranjbni 59
London Mission 56
Machilipatnam 21,22,24,25,28, 33,
46. 73.74.80, 99
Madanapalle 90
Madhya Pradesh 1,138, 144,146
Madras 25,107,128,133.134
Madras Mahajana Sabha 73
Madras Native Association 55;
Petition of 4711,48, 56-58
Madras, University of 69,90,113
Mahaboob Nagar In, 141
~ ~ singh h173 ~ d ~ ~
MoXIl Prasthnnam 110
Maharashtra 1.121, 124
Majumdar, Charu 155,158,159,16Q
Malacca 21
~ ~ ~166 ~ l l i
Malaviya. Madan Mohnn 95, 97,
133
Malleson, Col. 33
Manikyamba, Khambampati 109
Maratha War, Second 36
Marathas 26.30,32,33,35, 36
Masnlipatnam 31
Mauryas 2
Meade, Sir Richard 65
Medak In, 141
Menon. Madhava 128
Metcalfe, Sir Charles 39, 62;
Reforms of a,41, 42
Mir Alam 36,37
M i a , L.S. 130
 INDEX
Mohamrnad Ali 31
Mohammad Ali (of Ali Dros.) 97,99 Nntional School 78
Mohinuddin, Makdum 1 10.147
Moluccus 20.24
Mantaw, E.S. 90.91-92
Montagu-Cbelmsford Ref~rms 93, Nee~iChandrfka166
97, I12
'Moturpha' 46. 57
Mudaliar, Ranganatha 92
Mughal canqucst 17-16
Mulki Agitation 64, 176-78
Mulkl Rules 176
Munro, Thomas 4 4 , 4 4 7 , 48-51 Nizam-ul-Mulk 30-31
Murthy, A. GopaIakrishna 110
Murthy, Kongaoti Radhnkrishna Nizarn Andhra Mnhaaabha 122.123,
110
Murky. P. Krishna 157. 158-59
Muslim League 87,90
Muslims 1,9,13,16,41,51,97,105
Mutiay of 1857, impact on Aodhra
51-51
Muuffar Jang 3 1.32
Mysorc see Kamataka
Mysorelron and S t 4 Works 185
Mysom War, Third 35; Fourth 35
Nagapattinam 2 1
Nngarjuna, Acharya 5
Nagauunasagar Project 130.135
Naidu. A.C. Parthasaratbi 7 4 , D
Naidu, Bollina Munuswamy
ll5.116
Naidu. Oade Rangayya 109
Naidu, Kaka Appa Rao 112
Naidu, Padmaja 149
Naidu. P. Rangniab 73. 74
Najdu, Raghupati Venkataratnam
18687
Nair. Dr. T.M. 112
Ndgonda in, 141,151
Nanal, aovind Reo 123
Nandikonda (Nagarjuna Sagar)
Projtct 141
Nandyal85.87
Nannaya 161
Naresapuram 21, 60. %
Narusimhachart, Vedantam 102
Nasir Jnng 31
203
Nasir-ud-Dawli 40
N ~ ,~, , ~ h , , ~ ~ ~ ~ l ~
Naxalbari 155,157
Naxalite Movement 155n
Nehru, JawaharIal 109, 125, 127,
130, 131,138, 139, 153, 181,182,
105
Nchru, Motifal97. 133
Nellore 44,46,87,130
Ninmabad In, 141
Nizam Ali 33-36
147
Nlzam Andhca Rashtra Prasemsa
122
Nizarn College 63
Niznm Rashfro Andl~rulr[122
Nizam, East India Company and
the 3042; Army 38
Nan-Co-operation Movement 98-99
Novels 166-68
Omole 56.133
0 r i s a 1,l-3.28,58;75,76,107, 133,
138.144,49, 155
Osmania University 122, 123
Padmanabbarn, Battle of 43
Pal, Bipin Chandra 76, 77-78,79
Palmer and Company 3S-40
Palaad Satyagcaha 99,102-103
Pananpal 86,98,101, 112, 116
Pantutu, Jogiah 182
Pentulu, K. Nageswarn 134
Psntulu, N. Subbaran 74
parlakimcdi, 43. 53,80, 91,118,145
Parlakimcdi, Raja of 145
Partition Committee 128
Parvatiguram Conspiracy (Bes 160
Pataskar, H.V. 146
Patel, Sardar 125, 127,lSJ
Pafil, S.K. I 2 9
Patnaik. Nagabhnshaaam 160
Patro, A.P. 87,168,113,114
peasant UpWg 14849
204 HISTORY OF MODWN ANDHRA

pedanandipadu 99,104-105 Raju, Vijayayararna 43

Pddanoa. Allasani 16, 163 'Ramadandu. 101
Permanent Settlement 44, 53 Ramachari, P. 117
Persia 23,47 Ramadas, V 82,84,85,94, 107,133
Petapoli 21 Ramakrishna, Tennali 163
Pillai. Kcsava 86, 87, 92 Ramakrishonmacharya, D 168
Plasney, Battle of 33 Ramanandham, S 110
Pliny 19 Ramananda Tirtha, Swami 123,137,
Poetry 169-72 150
Police Action in Hyderabad 137, Rarnarayaningar, P. (Raja of
152,193 Panangal P. 86.98, 101, 1lZt 116)
Portuguese 14.19-20,22,23,27,46 Rampa Rebellion, of 1879 6668; of
Potana, Bammera 162-63 1922-24,105-107
Prabuddha Andhra 117 Ranga, Bhatati Devi 109
Projomllro 1 10 Ranga, Prof, N.G. 110 125, 127,
Pmkasam. T 94, 97, 99, 107, 108, 142, 190-92
109. 117, 125. 127. 128,131-36, Ra,,ga,m~hRamayana 162
1% 166,190 Gaudhi and 134-35 ~ a o Adiraju
, Vtarabhadra 121
Prasad, N.V.K. 147 Rao, A.S. Krishna 86, 87
Pra taparudra. King 9-1 0 Rao, A. Kaleswara 91,94,9B, 138
Pratibha Rao, B.Ramakrishna 110, 121,122,
Prola 1,6-7 123,138,142. 171. 192-93
p u h t 25 Rao. C. Rajeswara 110, 124, 147,
pumaiah, Kotamaraja 133 153, 155
Rao, C. Seshagiri 81,83
Quil India Movement 110-11 Rao. C. T jcswara 157,158, 159
Qutb Shah dynasty 16-17 Rao. C. Vcerabhadra 77
Qutb Shah,Muhammad Q d i 17 Rao, Desiraju Hnnumaniha 118
Qutb Shah, Sultan Gull 16 Rao, D. Venkateswrrn 110. 147,151
1-55. 159
Rao, Gada Raghava 85,86,87,92n
Radhalrrishnan, Dr. S. 181 Rao, G. XaHarisarvothama 85.87.89
Radical Humanist Party 104 92n. 94, 109,117, 118, 172
Raichur 114 Rao, G.V. Krishna 110
~ a j a ~ o p a t a c h a C.
r i , 117, 119. 129, Rao, Gunneswara 77
131,138, 142, 183,192 Rao, G ~ r u j a d aAppa 167,169, 170
R a j a b u n d r y 32, 77,80.85.89,98, Rao, J. V. Narasinga 142, 175
99 Reo. J. Vengal 178
Rajahmundry College incident 78-79 Rao. Kala Venkaw 127,128,129
Rajwsnnar, P .V. 169 Rao, Kaleswara 108, 139
Rajrr~ekhoraCharllrom 70. 165, 166 Rao, Kallur Subba 118
Raja, P.S.Kumaraswami 127. 128 Rae, Kasinatbuni Nagecwara 89, 94,
Raju, Alluri Satyanarayaoa 110 99,109, 1 18
Raju, Alluri Sityarnma 105-107, 188 Rao. Kaloji Narayana 123
Raju, Ananda Gajapati 33,45 Rae. Kommaraju Lakshmana 74,
Raju, B. Vcnkatapathi 115,94,113 121
Raju, C.V.S. Narasimha 86, 91, Rao, Kompalle Jenardhana 110
a n . 116 Rae, K.Ramachandra 71
U j o , K.Llnga 110 K. venkateramana 77
 INDEX
Rae, Lakshmana 74, 75
Rao, Madapati Naoumantha 121,
122, 123, 171, i92
Rao,Mocherla Rarnschandra 86.89,
92n,108, 123, 133
h o , Mutnuri Krishnn 77.85
Rao, M. Narasinga 12i
Rao., M- Rarn,achandral2?. 124
Rao,Nyapathi Subba 74.77, 84.85,
88, 91, 92, 107, 133, 166
Rno,N. Pattabhi Rama E6,93
Rao, N.T. Rama 179, I80
Raa, Pulijala Venkata Ranga 122,
123
Rae, PuJle]aS y u m g ~ & +J 10, 191
Rso, P
.. Namsirnha 171, 175, 176,
1
' ROY. MiN.10% 110
192
Rao, R. Subba '170
Rao, V. Suryanarayana 85.
R~slkol1larini
RasooJ Khan, Ghulam 51
Rau, Khasa Suhba 133
Rayalaseema 14, 35, 50, 1 16, 120,
183
\ Razakan 137, 138,150
?.,, Rszvi, K s i m 137, 152
'f Rcddi, Artulla Naraiimhn 1.10
I Reddi, Artulla Ramacl~nn'ika148
Reddi, Baddam Yella '110,147
ReddI,B. Gopala 117, 127, 128, I42
R d d i , B. Venkatararna 179, 180
Reddi, B.V. Subha 177
.. Reddi, C. Narnyana 172, 192
':, Red'di, C, PulIa 155
Reddi, C.RamaIinga 115, 116
Rcddi. H. Linga 126
Reddi, H. Sitamma 119
Reddi. K. Roti 117, 118, U7
heddi, K. ViJay Bl~askar179,180
Rcddi, h s u Brahmananda I75
Reddi, Kondo Venkatn R n n p 121,
- 123, 124, 139,142. 174
Reddi, Linga 147
h d d i , Dr.. M.CLaenna 1'39.142, 175,
177,119, ~BO;195
Reddi, Narasialba 44
aeddi, Nirclam Saqiiua.l2&,1!7., 128, SeriIuW~a
U9,130,131, 142, 175, la'1.83- Sarakami 3
84'
:a()s
Rcddi,:hfi,&.Fat~bhir~~m~ 9i:
Reddi, Ravi Narayana 110, 'XU, 124,
137, 147,131, 152, U3, 155,' 171,
192
Reddi, Suravaram PzaCapi 1% 171
Rcddi, Tarimela Nagi 1.10, 155
Reddi, Nayudu E V ,87, v,98, 112,
113, 114, I!?
Reddiar,U P. R a f m s m i 127
Reddiar,.SuSbarayulu 98, I12
Rekapalli Outbreak 66,60
Renigunta 61
Ripon, Lord'SS
Re, Sir Thamns 22,23,:26
Round TableConfertnu: 108-109:
Rowlatt Act 96
Rudradhra, King 7
Rudramba, Queeo.8-9
Russcl, Henry 38, 39,40
Rusbcl Brigade 38
Ryotwari System 45,49,50
Ryth Sangam 147
Salahnt Ian1 32,33
Salabat Jang I 52; R e f m of 61-65
Salbhai, Treaty of 34
Saluva dynasty 12
salt Satyapaha xee Civil Disoba
dience
Sarntamudhy 117, 119, 147
Sangama dyoasly 12
Sanga Sanfknrana Samajam 31
'Smjiiyya, D,174
Sany al, Karu 158, 159, I60
Sapru, Tej Bahedur 93
'Saptamti' 4
Sirin, H-C. 177
Sarma, B!N. 79,84,87, 99; Rmol-
utinn of, 92-93
Sastry, M,N.126
S a w , M.V. I10
SUI.~, Sim Sankara 110
sa~lri, v.L. 109
.%6tri, VS. SFinivasa 93
?J
~a.t&rni I I 3
206
Satakami, Gautarnipulra 4,s
Satavahanas 2-6.19
"Satihita Bodhini" 72
Satyndoo~a73
Satyapaha movement 96
Satyam (V. Satyanarayana) 156, 157,
158, 159
Satyamurti, S. 114, 116, 117
Satyanarayana, Tammareddi 151
Secunderabad 52,74,140. 176
Shah Alam 34
S h t r i , Lal Bahadur 184
Ship building industry 47
Shoukat Ali 97.99
Sikandar Jah 36-38, 40
Simon Commission 107-108, 133-34
Simukha 3
Sitaram, Swami (Gollapudi) Seeta-
r a m Saslri 1Q4.129
Sitaramayya, Dr B. Pattabhi 84, 85,
88, 89. 9h,94, 98,99, 108, 117.
127, 128.129, 187-88
six Point Formula 178
Socialist Party 110
Southem School d Tclugu Literalure
164
Soviet Union 153, 154, 181
Spain 21
Sri Bagh Pact 116. 130
Sriknkulam IPL 46, 130, 145,155
Srikakulam Tribal movement 155-59,
160
Srikrishnadeva Rsya 12-15,20, I63
Srikrishnadevataya A n d h a Basha
Nilayarn 74
Srinalha 162
Sriramulu, Fotti 129-30, 154, 188-89
Sriramulu, Tanguluri 77
Srirangapatnacn, Treaty of 49
Sri Rajraja Andhra Basha Nilayam
74
Sri Sri 110, 170-71
Sri Venkateshwara Univer~ity116
Stalin, Joseph 181
S m d StiU Agreemaat 137
Statea Re-urwjsation Commission
137-41, 144
Subbarnma, D u v m u 99
RISTORY OF MODERN ANDHRA
P
Suhbarayao. Dr P. 115, 116, 127
Subrahmanyam, Sripada 117
Subsidiary Alliance (1800) 35-36.49
Sundarayya, P. 109, 110, 147,
154, 155
Swat 21,22
Suri, M. Appala 158
Suryanarayana, M. 85, 113, 114
Swadeshi Movement 96,186
Swami. V. Alwar 147
Swaraj Party 116
"Swarajya" 132-33
Swatantra Party 191
Sydcnham. CapL 36,37
Syed Ahmad Brailvi 41
Talikota, battle of 15-16
Tamil Nadu 1, 107, 119, 128, 129,
133, 138, 144,146
Tamils AO, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 112,
113, 117, 119, 127
Telengana 74, 110, 121, 138, 140-41,
142, 173
Telengana Agitation 173-76
Telengana Movement 137. 153
Telmgana Praja Sanlili I75
Telugu Desam 179,180
Telogu Journalism 73-74
Tenali I10
Textila 24,25, 27-28, 46
Thummapalmc, Battle of 32
Tikkanna, Poet 8, 10, 161-62
Timarusu 14
Tilak, B.G.75. 76,79,97
Tirupali 107, I 16, 131
Tipu Sultan 35,49
Trade 19,20; Spice 20,22,23,24
T ~ w of~ Y21 November 17J8,33
Tribal Revolt, Stikakulam 155-59
Trichnopa[i, ~~~d~of 34
Triple Alliance (190) 34-35
Trivedi, C.M. 131
~ujva dynasty 12
Tunkabhadra project 118
Tyagaraja 164
 Udayagiri I3
Udayini 110
United Democratic Front 129
Utkal Sammilani 106
Vaidya, Kashinah Rno 123
V~ndmafararn Movement'76-77,78,
186
Vanna, Vikrarna Dev (Maharaja of
Jejpore) 93
Varthaka Sangham 121
Veerasaiva movement I62
Veerernlingam, Kandukuri 69, 73,
165, 166,186
VelIodi, M.A. 137, 138; 193
Vemaoa 164
Venkaiah, PingaIi 99
Venkatappaiab, Konda 79, 83, 85,
86. 88, 89. 90. 92n, 98, 99, 102,
104, 105, 118
Venkafaratnam, Kakani 177
Venkataratnam, Kokanda 71
Vertlckklri 121
Veylpodagalu 167
Victoria, Queen, Proclamation of
54-56
Viguana Chandrka Mandalf 74,
122
Vijay, Sir 114.20
Vijayanagara Empire 11-16
Vijayanagaram In, 43,77
Vijayanagararn, Raja of 32,33
Vijaymghavachariar, C 96
Vijayawada 93,96,99,110, 115, 118,
149
ViIIagc System 50,57
Visakhapamam 80, 85, 86. 96,119,
130,144Port 1
Visalandre 136, 138, 139, 141, 142,
W
ViraIandra Mnhasabha 138
"iswarns 'idwan 'lo
Viswnnatha 166-67
Visveswarayya, M.iI84-86
vittals~wamiTemple 15
'Vivekovanihini' 70
Wadia, B.P. 90
Wahahi Movement 41, 5)
Wahabis 41, 5I
air 113
Wanchoo, ICN. 130
Waran~prlIn, 6, 11,84, 141,151
Widow Remarriage Association 71,
72
Yanam 27,32
m i n d a r i System 45.57.58
'Zih Baodi' Syslcm 62