Whose death led to creation of the first linguistic state of India, Andhra Pradesh?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer
Potti Sriramulu
Explanation
The death of Potti Sriramulu led to the creation of Andhra Pradesh, the first linguistic state in independent India. Sriramulu was a revered freedom fighter and a devout follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He went on an indefinite fast on October 19, 1952, demanding a separate state for the Telugu-speaking population carved out of the multi-lingual Madras Presidency. After fasting for 56 days, he passed away on December 15, 1952. His tragic demise triggered widespread public unrest and intense agitations across the region, forcing Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to announce the formation of a separate Andhra State on December 19, 1952. The state officially came into being on October 1, 1953, with Kurnool as its capital.
The other options are incorrect as they are notable historical figures associated with entirely different contributions to India:
Pingali Venkayya was a freedom fighter and a linguist who designed the initial structure of the national flag of India (the Tiranga).
R.K. Shanmugam Chetty was an eminent lawyer and economist who served as the first Finance Minister of independent India and presented its first Union Budget.
Jagjivan Ram (popularly known as Babuji) was a towering Dalit leader, national statesman, and a freedom fighter who served as India's first Labour Minister and later as the Defence Minister during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
Key Points
Potti Sriramulu earned the honorary title of 'Amarajeevi' (Immortal Soul) in the Andhra region due to his ultimate sacrifice for the linguistic recognition of his people. The creation of Andhra State on a linguistic basis opened a floodgate of similar demands across the country, which ultimately forced the central government to appoint the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) in 1953, chaired by Fazl Ali, to redraw India's internal borders systematically.
Additional Facts
Before his fateful fast for the Andhra state, Potti Sriramulu had undertaken multiple fasts in 1946 and 1948 advocating for Dalit rights, specifically demanding that temples in Nellore be opened to Dalits. Following his sacrifice and the initial declaration of Andhra State in 1953, the linguistic boundaries were further expanded in 1956. Under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, the Telugu-speaking areas of the dismantled Hyderabad State (known as Telangana) were merged with Andhra State to form a larger, unified state named Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956, with Hyderabad as its new capital.
Important Questions and Answers
Question: On which date did the first linguistic state of India, Andhra State, officially come into existence with Kurnool as its capital?
Answer: October 1, 1953.
Question: Who chaired the landmark States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) appointed by the Government of India in December 1953 to examine the redrawing of state boundaries?
Answer: Fazl Ali.