GUNTUR: Bapatla holds a pivotal place in the history of Andhra’s struggle for a separate State. The first linguistic State of Andhra, comprising 11 districts, was officially formed on October 1, 1953. However, the seeds of this movement were sown much earlier, during the First Andhra Conference held in Bapatla on May 26, 1913.
According to PC Sai Babu, Secretary of the Forum for Better Bapatla, “This conference was a landmark in the struggle for the creation of States on linguistic lines. It was here the Telugu people first voiced their desire for a separate State.”
The demand for a separate Andhra State arose because, despite comprising 40% of the population and 58% of the Madras Presidency, the Telugu population had no effective political representation and was often treated as second-class citizens. The 1913 conference, presided over by Bayya Narsimheswara Sarma, a member of the Madras Legislative Council, laid the groundwork for the creation of linguistic States, with Andhra being the first to materialise.
Prominent national leaders, including Bhogaraju Pattabhi Seetaramayya, Pingali Venkayya, Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao, and others, attended this historic conference. It was a turning point for the Telugu people, leading to annual Andhra Mahasabhas that continued until 1943.
The struggle intensified when activist Potti Sriramulu led a hunger strike in 1952, demanding that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru fulfill his promise of forming an Andhra State. After Sriramulu’s tragic death during his fast on December 15, 1952, unrest erupted across the region, resulting in several deaths.
On December 19, 1952, PM Nehru announced the formation of Andhra. It was officially created on October 1, 1953, with Kurnool as its capital and Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu as its first chief minister.