Kandukuri Veeresalingam Biography 
Rao Bahadur Kandukuri Veeresalingam or Kandukuri Veeresalingam, also known as Kandukuri Veereshalingam Pantulu was a social reformer and writer of Andhra Pradesh. He was the noble person who first brought about a renaissance in Telugu people and Telugu literature and often mentioned as prophet of Modern Andhra or ‘Father of renaissance in Andhra’. He was inspired a lot by the ideas of Keshub Chunder Sen and Brahma Samaj. He encouraged education of girls and women and started a school for them in Dowlaiswaram in 1874. He is the founder of the social organization Hitakarini society and started a Telugu journal and wrote the first prose for women. He was a writer whose works include novels, satire works, plays, essays, biography, scientific writing and even translations. He was also known as an investigative journalist and critic.
Kandukuri Veereshalingam Pantulu was born on April, 16th, 1848 in Rajamahendravaram of Andhra Pradesh. He is popularly called Gadya Tikkana, who introduced essay, biography, autobiography and the novel into Telugu literature. During the period, 1869 and 1919 he published more than 100 books. "Abhagyopakhyanamu" is his noted satire work in Telugu. Rajashekhara Charitramu – the first novel in Telugu was written by him. He is known as prophet of Modern Andhra who criticized medieval orthodox customs and superstitions and brought great reformations to the society. He was both a literary activist and a social reformer.
His initial works were written in the classical style of Prabandhas. Gopala Shatakamu and Markandeya Shatakamu are his noted Shatakas. He is not only the first social reformer from Andhra, but among the earliest from India. He strived hard for women education and widow remarriages. He was the first person to arrange widow remarriages in India. He arranged the first widow remarriage in India on December 11, 1881. Chintamani, Sati hitabodha, Satyasavardhani and Satyavadi are the noted journels started by him. He donated all his property for the social activities.
Published: N/A
Updated: December 24, 2013
