Madapati Hanumantha Rao


Madapati Hanumantha Rao was an Indian statesman, poet and a short-story writer. He was the first Mayor of Hyderabad from 1951-1954. He is also a Padma Bhushan recipient.

Revival of the Telugu Language In Nizam's Dominion

Madapati Hanumantha Rao was one of the pioneers in the revival of the Telugu language under the Nizams's dominions. He was a founder member of the Andhra Mahasabha. And came to be called the Andhra Pitamaha.

Public worker

A Telugu-language high school was started by Rao. When the state government and Osmania University, and Andhra University refused recognition, he got recognition from the Women's university at Pune.
He was also a member of the Senate and Syndicate of Osmania University.
He was among the most significant impulses for the freedom movement of the Nizam's dominions, having contributed immensely to the cultural and linguistic revival of the Telugu language, pioneering contribution to the recording of Telugu history and also education for the telugus in the Nizam's dominions. Under his guidance the Andhra Mahasabha was very careful to avoid violating the regulations of the administration. However the Andhra Mahasabha was feared by the police commissioner, Armstrong. Who remarked that a library movement is nothing but a revolutionary movement.
The Andhra Mahasabha held political meetings outside the limits of the Hyderabad state. The first Hyderabad political conference was held in Kakinada in 1923, due to the initiative taken by M. Hanumantha Rao. This was on account of Gasti No. 53, which made it impossible for any political meeting, however peaceful it might be, to be convened in Hyderabad.