HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University (Amendment) Bill, 2025, renaming the varsity after Suravaram Pratapa Reddy, a prominent freedom fighter from the Telangana region during the Nizam’s rule in the princely state of Hyderabad.
The amendment dropped the name of Potti Sreeramulu, a well-known freedom fighter who sacrificed his life for the creation of Andhra Pradesh state on linguistic lines in the early 1950s.
Defending the decision to change the varsity’s name, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy informed the House that the decision was made as part of efforts initiated by the government after the state’s formation to honour the unsung heroes of Telangana’s history, and certainly not to disregard anyone.
He pointed out that the universities such as Dr NTR University of Health Sciences, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, and Dr YSR Horticultural University were renamed after Telangana leaders after the formation of separate state, and the latest amendment falls under the same category.
“We have great respect for Potti Sreeramulu’s patriotism and sacrifice. Everyone should respect and commemorate him. However, we have to change the Telugu university name as it would create administrative issues as the varsities are running in both Telugu states with the same name,” he said.
Without mentioning the BJP leader’s name, Revanth expressed dismay over Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay for opposing the decision.
The CM said that he would suggest that the Union government name the Cherlapalli railway terminal after Potti Sreeramulu. He also said that the state government will rename the Nature Cure Hospital after former AP chief minister K Rosaiah in recognition of the Arya Vaisya community’s contribution to the region.
Meanwhile, BJP opposed the move to replace Potti Sreeramulu’s name with that of Suravaram Pratapa Reddy. BJPLP leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy demanded that the government name Osmania University after Pratapa Reddy, but not the Telugu University.
WHO IS SURAVARAM PRATAPA REDDY?
Popularly known as “Telangana Vythalikudu” (torch-bearer), Suravaram Pratapa Reddy was a freedom fighter from the Telangana region during the Nizam’s regime in the princely state of Hyderabad.
Pratapa Reddy was the first president of the Andhra Mahasabha, under which all the Telugu movements in the princely state of Hyderabad came and met to discuss social issues. The first meeting was held at Jogipet in 1930.
A social historian and one of the pioneers of Telangana literature, a scholar in Sanskrit, Telugu, Urdu and English languages, he had tremendous admiration for Telangana Telugu.
Famous for his research articles, novels, poetry and story writing, he was also the founder of the “Golconda” Telugu patrika, which was launched with the twin aims of serving Telugu language in Telangana and for the upliftment of Telugu people irrespective of their religion and caste in the princely state of Hyderabad.
He wrote more than 40 books, including Nizamrashtra Palanam, Moghalai Kathalu, Sanghoddharana, Ucchala Vishadamu, Grandhalayamu, Hinduvula Pandugalu, Haindava Dharma Veerulu and Yuvajana Vignyanam. Prominent among those were Andhrula Sanghika Charitra, which won him the first-ever Kendra Sahitya Academy Award for Telugu in 1955.