Person · Gandhian fasting martyr
Potti Sreeramulu
Also known as Amarajeevi Sreeramulu
The Andhra Gandhian martyr Potti Sreeramulu (16 March 1901 - 15 December 1952), who died on the 58th day of his hunger strike at Madras demanding the formation of a separate Telugu-speaking Andhra state out of the Madras Presidency. His death on 15 December 1952 triggered massive riots across Telugu-speaking districts; Nehru's government announced the Andhra State's formation three days later (19 December 1952), and the State Reorganisation Act 1956 subsequently redrew India's provincial map along linguistic lines. Sreeramulu is called 'Amarajeevi' ('immortal') in Telugu memory. The 1954 Andhra Pradesh statehood anniversary (1 November) continues to commemorate his martyrdom.
- Date
- 1901–1952
- Function
- Social reform & movement
- Confidence
- Established / referenced
Connections (1)
- Patronage networkTanguturi Prakasam Pantulu
Potti Sreeramulu's 58-day fast and 15 December 1952 death at Madras was explicitly framed around realising Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu's lifelong demand for a separate Telugu Andhra state. Sreeramulu died pursuing Prakasam's unfulfilled 1920s-1940s Andhra separation campaign; Prakasam became Andhra State's first Chief Minister within 10 months of Sreeramulu's death (1 October 1953).
Sources
Standard biography; regional historiography.
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