Madapati Hanumantha Rao
Encyclopedia
Madapati Hanumantha Rao (Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

 : మాడపాటి హనుమంత రావు) (January 22, 1885 – November 11, 1970) was the first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of the city of Hyderabad, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. He was a social reformer and also started one of the first schools for girls in India, the Madapati Hanumantha Rao Girl's High School, in Narayanguda, Hyderabad. This school was set up exclusively for female students during the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...

 regime. The school was established in 1928 with only 35 students by Padmashree Madapati Hanumantha Rao to improve literacy among women. The school evolved over the years into an institution of excellence with 3,000 girl students. Rao took part actively in Grandhalayodyamam in Telangana region during Nizam rule. He also holds the title 'Andhra Pithamaha'.

Early life

Hanumantha Rao was born in the Pokkunuru
Pokkunuru
Pokkunuru is a village in Chandarlapadu mandal of Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Pokkunuru is 7.039 km far from its mandal main town Chandarlapadu....

 village of Nandigama
Nandigama
Nandigama is one of the Big Towns and a Mandal in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Nandigama is famous for the temples which had a great history for years. The mukkoti ekadasi is celebrated every year grandly in Nandigama....

 taluka (presently in Chandarlapadu
Chandarlapadu
Chandarlapadu is a village and Mandal in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Villages in Chandarlapadu Mandal :The following is the list of villages in this Mandal.*Bobbellapadu*Brahmabotlapalem*Chintalapadu*Eturu*Gudimetla*Gudimettapalem...

 mandal), Krishna district
Krishna district
Krishna District is a district of India's Andhra Pradesh state. It is named after the Krishna River, the third longest river that flows within India, flows through the district and joins Bay of Bengal here in this district. It has a population of 4,529,009 of which 32.08% is urban as of...

 on the same day of the formation of "Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...

". He was born to Madapati Venkatappaya and Venkatasubbamma in a Aruvela Niyogi Bramhin family. His father worked as gramadhikari in their village. Hanumantha Rao grew up in his village along with his elder brother Tirumala Rao. He lost his father at the age of five after which he moved to his uncle Jamalapuram Venkata Rao's village Peshkar in Suryapeta tehsil.

Madapati Hanumantharao finished his primary education in Suryapeta and Warangal
Warangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...

. After graduating from high school, he joined the Office of Educational Inspector in Warangal and worked for eight years as a clerk. Then he went to Hyderabad and worked for 5 years as a Telugu translator in the Nizam government. He then graduated in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...

 in 1917 and became a lawyer. He retired after 24 years of successful law practice.

Contributions

Madapati started Andhra Mahasabha
Andhra Mahasabha
Andhra Mahasabha was a people's organisation in the erstwhile Hyderabad state of India. Started as a subsidiary of the Indian National Congress, it had later moved away from it permanently to join hands with the Communist Party of India.- History :...

 in 1930 and played a historical role in inspiring the Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...

 people. He was closely associated with Nilagiri and Telugu Patrika Journals. He wrote several articles in the journals like Sujata, Andhrabharati, Desabandhu, Golaconda etc. He has translated many stories and novels from Marathi and Bengali languages to Telugu. He wrote many essayes in Telugu, Kannada, Urdu and Hindi languages.He is also a writer and poet. His writings include Roman Samraajyam, Kshetrakaalapu Hindvaaryulu, Mahabharata Sameeksha, Garibaldi Jeevitacharitra, Mallikaaguccham etc. Osmania University
Osmania University
Osmania University , , since 1918, is a public university located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established and named after the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. It is one of the oldest modern universities in India. It is the first Indian University to have Urdu and...

 awarded Doctor of Literature to him in 1956 for his service to literature. He was the first mayor of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation  elected in 1951.He was first chair person of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, constituted on July 7, 1958 and worked up to 1963. The Indian government awarded him as Padmabhushan. He was the first Teluguan who received this award in 1955.He was responsible for the development of Telugu Language and Culture in Telangana.
Madapati Hanumantha Rao, who became secretary in 1915, raised more funds for the growth of the Sri Krishnadevaraya Andhra Bhasha Nilayam which is located in Sultan Bazar,Hyderabad.

Personal life

His first marriage was with his niece Annpurnamma in 1904. Annapurnamma gave birth to a daughter. After his first wife’s death in 1917, he married Manikyamma in 1918 and had a son, Sukumar.
His son Sukumar was married to Sucheta daughter of Dr.Erra Jaganmohan Rao of warangal.
Manikyamma was also active participant of Andhra Mahasabha.
During his last days,Madapati was ill over a year and died on 11 November 1970 at the age of 86 years in Andhra Kuteeram,Hanuman Tekdi, Hyderabad.

External links

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