Kandukuri Veeresalingam

A pioneering social reformer who modernized Andhra society through education and gender equality initiatives

Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu (1848-1919), often called the 'Lokhitavadi' (People's Friend), was a visionary social reformer from Andhra Pradesh, India. Born into a Telugu Brahmin family during British colonial rule, he became a radical advocate for modern education, women's rights, and abolition of caste discrimination. His most notable achievement was establishing India's first non-Brahmin school in 1874 at Rajahmundry, which admitted students from all castes and genders.

Veeresalingam's 1882 publication of Prathima Kosam (Idol House) was a groundbreaking critique of Hindu idolatry and superstitions. He actively campaigned against child marriage, polygamy, and the devadasi system, successfully convincing the Nizam of Hyderabad to pass laws banning child marriages in 1891. His establishment of the first women's college in 1898 at Waltair marked a major milestone in Indian women's education.

Through his monthly journal Lokavibhaga, he promoted rational thinking and scientific temper among the masses. His 1897 translation of John Stuart Mill's On Liberty into Telugu introduced liberal ideas to Indian readers. Veeresalingam's 1903 marriage of his daughter at age 18 instead of the customary child marriage set a precedent for modern family norms.

Today, his legacy lives on through the Veeresalingam Open University and numerous educational institutions bearing his name. His forward-thinking ideas can be explored in the British Library's digitized archives and the Telugu Literary Heritage Project.