Our land, our people, our rights… but why don’t we have them? This was the burning question in the hearts of the Andhras.
Click here to Read the Telugu version of this article.
After the fall of the Qutub Shahis, the Telugu-speaking regions were divided. Telangana came under the Nizam’s rule, while Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema went to the British, and in 1801 were merged into the Madras Presidency by Lord Wellesley.
That is where the problem began. In the Madras state, Andhras had no respect. Tamil dominance over Andhra grew day by day. Industries and development were concentrated only in Tamil regions. In jobs too, injustice became evident.
The statistics published in The Hindu newspaper in 1911 showed how backward the Andhras were in employment:
- Sub-Collector: Andhras – 01, Non-Andhras – 03
- Deputy Collector: Andhras – 21, Non-Andhras – 39
- District Judges: Andhras – 0, Non-Andhras – 19
- District Munsifs: Andhras – 30, Non-Andhras – 93
- District Registrars: Andhras – 02, Non-Andhras – 17
- Senior officials in Education Dept.: Andhras – 05, Non-Andhras – 28
- Senior state officials: Andhras – 08, Non-Andhras – 56
These injustices ignited self-respect among the Andhras. They realized the need for a separate state. Historical research, cultural movements, and newspaper articles further strengthened this idea. The Andhra State Movement was not just a political struggle. It was a flame ignited for self-respect.
That self-respect struggle which began back then, what does it tell today’s generation? Will history repeat itself?
📢 You tell us – which incident of the Andhra State Movement moved your heart the most?
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments below…