Rao Bahadur Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu was a social reformer and writer of Madras Presidency, British India. He is considered as the father of renaissance movement in Telugu. He was one of the early social reformers who encouraged women education, remarriage of widows which was not supported by the society during his time and fought against dowry system. He also started a school in Dowlaiswaram in 1874. He constructed a temple known as 'Brahmo Mandir' in 1887 and the 'Hithakarini School' in 1908 in Andhra Pradesh. His novel Rajasekhara Charitramu is considered to be the first novel in Telugu literature. He is often considered as Raja Rammohan Roy of Andhra. He was also known by the title Gadya Tikkana, meaning 'Tikkana of Prose'.
Early life
Veeresalingam was born in Rajahmundry, Madras Presidency, to Subbarayudu and Poornamma. When he was six months old, he suffered from smallpox, a dangerous disease during that time, and when aged four his father died. He was adopted by his paternal uncle, Venkataratnam. After studying in an Indian street school, he was later sent to English medium school where his talents were recognised. His good nature and studiousness earned him the best student award in his school. He completed his matriculation in 1869 and got his first job as a teacher in Korangi village.
Literature
Veeresalingam was a scholar in Telugu, Sanskrit, and Hindi. Considering literature as an instrument to fight against social evils, his writings also reflected the same. He wrote plays criticising the attitude of Brahmin priests such as Prahlada, Satya Harischandra. He published a novel Rajashekhara Charita in 1880, originally serialised in Viveka Chandrika from 1878. Generally recognised as the first Telugu novel, it is inspired by The Vicar of Wakefield, a novel by the Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith. His works include:
First novel in Telugu 'Rajasekhara Charitra'
'Viveka Vardhini' a journal for women education in 1887.
'Satihita bodhini' a monthly magazine for women.
First drama in Telugu and first book in Telugu on sciences & history.
One of the greatest reforms of Veeresalingam was to promote women's education, which was considered to be a taboo in those days. In 1876, he started a journal called Viveka Vardhini and published articles about women's issues of that era. The magazine was initially printed at Chennai, but with his writings gaining popularity, he established his own press at Rajahmundry. Remarriage of widows was not appreciated in the society during those days, and he opposed this by arguing that widows were not prohibited from remarrying by quoting verses from the HinduDharma Sastra to prove his point. His opponents used to organise special meetings and debates to counter his arguments, and even resorted to physical violence against him when they failed to stop him. Undeterred, Veeresalingam started a Remarriage Association and sent his students all over Andhra Pradesh to find young men willing to marry widows. He arranged the first widow remarriage on 11 December 1881. For his reformist activities, Kandukuri gained attention all over the globe. The Government, in appreciation of his work, conferred on him the title of Rao Bahadur in 1893. Later he established a widow home.
Politics
Veeresalingam served as one of the members of the first Indian National Congress meeting in 1885.
Personal life
Veeresalingam was married to Bapamma Rajyalakshmi in 1861. At the time of marriage, he was 16 years old, and his wife was 9.
