Andhra Kesari T. Prakasam - Builders of Modern India (An Old and Rare Book)

Dr T. Surya Narayana Rao, 67 is the founder and Vice Chairman of Prakasam Institute of Development Studies (1972) and Vice-President, Potti Sreeramulu Smaraka Samithi (1983), Hyderabad. He retired as Reader and Head, Department of Economics, Anwarul-Uloom College, affiliated to Osmania University, Hyderabad, after serving there for over thirty years.

Dr Rao got his Ph.D. from Osmania University, Hyderabad, for his thesis on "Economic Thinking of T. Prakasam".

Subjects of interest to Dr Rao include Gram Swaraj, Planning, Co-operation, Centre-State Relations and Constitution of India.

To write a biography of Prakasam is to write a three decade political history of Andhra Desa in particular and Madras Presidency in general, from the 20's to 50's of this century. The sources to look into for this purpose are many-family records, published and unpublished books, articles, personal meetings with some of his contemporaries, debates and discussions in the Central Legislative Assembly, New Delhi 1926-30, Madras Legislature 1936-48, Constituent Assembly 1947-49, Andhra State Assembly 1953-54, Congress Party records, etc.

The present author saw Prakasam for the first time in 1938 when ten years old at their native village Vallur (now in Prakasam District). Prakasam visited the place as the Revenue Minister in the Madras Government. By then he was well-known as the Andhra Kesari. He was an impressive and powerful personality. He was playing a leading role in the political events of the time-Individual Satyagraha 1940-41, Quit India Move ment of 1942, Congress Ministry of Madras 1946-47 with himself as the Premier, and the formation of Andhra State in 1953 at Kurnool under his Chief Ministership following the balidan (life sacrifice) of Amarajeevi Potti Sreeramulu.

With great fascination the author as a student of political economy followed Prakasam's Firka Development Scheme and the Producers-cum-Consumers Cooperatives (1946-48) and later his speeches on Panchayati Raj and other important subjects in the Constituent Assembly (1948-49).

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