Jamalapuram Keshava Rao

Jamalapuram Keshava Rao was a leader of the Hyderabad State Congress from Khammam district.¹ He was born on 2 September 1908 at Yerrupalem, in Madhira taluk.¹ He went to jail in 1938 and again in 1947 for opposing the Nizam’s government.¹ The Who’s Who of Freedom Struggle in Andhra Pradesh (1980) says he was popularly called “the Sardar” of Hyderabad State.¹

The State Congress satyagraha, 1938–1939

He was the son of Venkatarama Rao and passed the Intermediate examination.¹ He worked as a clerk in the office of the District Collector, Hyderabad.¹ He resigned this post to join the State Congress movement.¹

In 1938 the Nizam’s government banned the new Hyderabad State Congress.¹ Keshava Rao offered satyagraha (non-violent protest by breaking a law and accepting arrest) against the ban.¹ He was held in the Central Jail, Warangal, from 7 December 1938 until his release on 10 April 1939.¹ The Who’s Who adds that he took part in the Quit India movement of 1942 and was imprisoned.¹

The Andhra Mahasabha, 1945–1946

From 1945 he was one of the leaders of the Nationalist wing of the Andhra Mahasabha.¹ He presided over its conference at Kandi in 1946.¹

The campaign for joining India, 1947–1948

After India became independent, the Nizam’s government said Hyderabad would stay independent.² Sarojini Regani writes that the State Congress was then split into two groups.² Keshava Rao supported the group of Swami Ramananda Tirtha.²

The State Congress named him to its Working Committee and its Committee of Action.³ On 15 August 1947 the State Congress hoisted the Indian flag in Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad.⁴ Regani names him among the leaders arrested in this connection.⁴

The Who’s Who says he was convicted under two laws.¹ He received a month’s simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 100, and two years’ rigorous imprisonment.¹ He served his terms in the Warangal and Nizamabad jails.¹ In 1947 the Razakars (the armed volunteers of the Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen) looted his house at Yerrupalem.¹

Later years

The Who’s Who says the President of India nominated him to the Constituent Assembly.¹ It also says he worked for the library movement and against untouchability.¹ He died on 29 March 1953.¹

Where the sources disagree

The Who’s Who (1980), a state government book edited by Sarojini Regani, and her own Highlights of the Freedom Movement (1956) differ on the date of his arrest in 1947:¹⁴

• The Who’s Who (1980) says he was arrested on 7 August 1947.¹
• Highlights of the Freedom Movement links his arrest to the hoisting of the Indian flag on 15 August 1947.⁴

Footnotes

1. Sarojini Regani (ed.), Who’s Who of Freedom Struggle in Andhra Pradesh, Vol. II (1980), p. 89 (archive.org↗ (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²²

2. Sarojini Regani, Highlights of the Freedom Movement in Andhra Pradesh (1956), p. 199 (archive.org↗ (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Regani, Highlights (1956), p. 200 (archive.org↗ (opens in a new tab)). ↩

4. Regani, Highlights (1956), p. 202 (archive.org↗ (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴