Book on history of Telugus

The launch of ‘Comprehensive History of the Telugu States’ on the July 15, is a befitting ‘Grand Finale’ for contemporary history. Renowned historian Vakulabharanam Ramkrishna’s two-decade penance of abridging and presenting history of the Telugus concludes with the launch of this last volume.

The latest volume covers historical events up to the beginning of the 21st century. Initiated by Andhra Pradesh History Congress, in collaboration with Dravidian University to start with, was later supported by Sri Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University. Historiographically’ speaking, this period is considered as contemporary history which as it involves men and events that are fresh in popular memory.

The first section deals with political and administrative developments, followed by the second section entitled economy and society and the third section dealing with art and culture. Along with poverty and inequalities this period also witnessed the construction of major irrigation projects and considerable industrial development.

However, this could not prevent declining economic growth. Naxalite movement was virulent mainly in tribal areas, in northern Andhra (Srikakulam) and Telangana. The successive governments succeeded in suppressing it, even though it continued to operate in few pockets of the State.

Along with such political movements, the period witnessed the growth of Dalit and Backward classes (Bahujan) movements, rise of feminist consciousness and the participation of women in movements such as anti-arrack struggles and several popular upsurges against injustice in sporadic and localised forms.

Literature, journalism and fine arts flourished. What was particularly significant was the rise of identity movements. Each section of society strove hard to develop its own self-respect and identity in the society.

The book features the Telangana separatist movement, which was started on the issues of improper implementation of Gentlemen’s Agreement and Mulki rules relating to government jobs. The separate Andhra Movement also turned violent resulting in Police firings and large scale violence.

Both the movements were doused with the promises made by the Central Government, enacting Six Point Formula and other palliative measures. The annual turnover of the private educational institutions, according to confidential estimates ran into several thousand crores of rupees.

Ultimately, unplanned and reckless privatisation of engineering education and to some extent, medical, dental and business administration programmes have taken place.