Katti Padma Rao


Katti Padma Rao is a Dalit poet, scholar and activist from Andhra Pradesh, India. He is the founding general secretary of Dalit Mahasabha, a people's organisation that spearheaded the Dalit movement in Andhra Pradesh in the aftermath of the 1985 Karamchedu massacre in the coastal region of that state. A scholar in both Telugu and Sanskrit, he has published several volumes of poetry, and books on sociology, religion, philosophy, history, and women's studies. He is a regular columnist in major Telugu newspapers and magazines.

Social and political activism

Following the Karamchedu massacre of Madiga Dalits in 1985, Rao emerged as a significant socio-political activist. He was the founder General Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Dalit Mahasabha organisation, which mobilised not only the Dalits, but also the Adivasis and the Backward Classes against caste-based atrocities and oppression.

Electoral politics

Rao launched the Peda Prajala Party in the late 1980s. In the early 1990s, he was part of the Bahujan Samaj Party. In the late 2000s, he joined the Praja Rajyam Party. His forays into electoral politics were largely unsuccessful.

Awards and honours

Rao is recognised as a Dalit ideologue, intellectual, writer and socio-political activist.
A list of awards and honours received by Rao:
Titles in English
Anthologies
Sociology
Dalit history
Alternative Dalit philosophy
Women's studies
Dalit literature