Metro India News  | Rajamahendravaram

 Veeresalingam Pantulu, social reformer, teacher, writer and institutional builder’s 177th birth anniversary was celebrated on Wednesday. Principals of various colleges, including Mrs Rahgava Kumari, and Member of Parliament Mrs D Puranedshwari paid floral tributes at his Samadhi.

The first principal of the women’s college late Mrs Rukmini is the daughter of a couple for whom Rao Bahadur Veeresalingam performed widow-remarriage. Born on April 16, 1848 in Rajahmundry as it was called then, he was much ahead of his times. He pioneered women’s education and widow-remarriage that was considered a taboo at time.

He established Hitakarini Samaj in Rajamendravaram and mixed high school. The Samaj later established schools, colleges and a women’s college named after his wife Smt Rajaya Lakshmi. Its alumnus later went on to become civil servants. One of its alumni is Mrs Jayaprada, film actress. He also established the first Town Hall in the State. He also established home for widows and destitutes.

His wrote the first novel in Telugu, Rajasekhara Charitam, based on Oliver Goldsmith’s Vicar of Vackfiled. He was a Brahmo Samaji established by Mr Rajarammohan Roy.  He attended the first session of the Indian National Congress in 1885 in what is now Mumbai. He fought against child marriage and dowry system. His novel Rajasekhara Charitramu is the first novel in Telugu literature. It was based on Vicar of Vackfield by Oliver Goldsmith. He is often considered Raja Ram Mohan Roy of Andhra. He was known by the title Gadya Tikkana, or ‘the Tikkana of Prose’.

Dr P V RAMANA