Today is the birthday of a great social reformer in India.

               
                   Kandukuri Veeresalingam

Veeresalingam was born in 16 april 1848 an orthodox Brahmin family in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh to Subbarayudu, and Poornamma. When he was six months old, he suffered from smallpox, a dangerous disease during that time. But somehow he survived. He lost his father when he was four years old. He was adopted by his paternal uncle Venkataratnam. After studying in an Indian street school, he was later sent to English medium school where his talents were recognized. His good nature and studiousness earned him the best student award in his school. He completed his matriculation in 1869 and got his first job as a teacher in Korangi village. Veeresalingam was married to Bapamma Rajyalakshmi in 1861. At the time of marriage, he was 13 years old, and his wife was 8.

Literature:-

                   

Veeresalingam was a scholar in Sanskrit, Hindi & Telugu. Considering literature as a weapon to fight against social evils, his writings also reflected the same. He wrote many plays criticizing the attitude of Brahmin priests such as Prahlada (1885), Satya Harischandra (1886) etc.His works include:-

•     First novel in Telugu 'Rajasekhara Charitra'

•     'Viveka Vardini' a journal for women education in 1887.

•     'Satihita bodhini' a monthly magazine for women.

•     He wrote first drama in Telugu and first book in Telugu on     sciences&history.
  
  
  Rao Bahadur Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu was a social reformer, writer of Andhra Pradesh. He is the Father of renaissance movement in Telugu. He was one of the early social reformers who encouraged women education, remarriage of widows which was not supported by the society during his time and fought against dowry system. He also started a school in Dowlaiswaram in 1874.[2] He constructed a temple as 'Brahmo Mandir' in 1887 and the 'Hithakarini School' in 1908 in Andhra Pradesh. His novel Rajasekhara Charitramu is considered to be the first novel in Telugu literature. He often considered as Raja Rammohan Roy of Andhra. He was also known by the Title Gadya Tikkana means 'Tikkana of Prose'.
  
  
  Welfare of women:-     
                                  
  
  
  One of the greatest reforms of Veeresalingam was to promote women's education, which was considered to be taboo in those days. In 1876, he started a journal called Viveka Vardhini in which he used to write articles about the problems of women. The magazine was initially printed at Chennai, but when his writings gained popularity, he established his own press at Rajahmundry.
  Remarriage of widows was not appreciated in the society during those days. He opposed this by arguing that it was not prohibited by Dharma Sastra. He used to quote verses from scriptures to prove his point. His opponents used to organize special meetings and debates to counter his arguments. They also resorted to physical violence against him as they failed to prove their point. Undeterred, Veeresalingam started a Remarriage Association and sent his students all over Andhra Pradesh to find young men willing to marry widows. He arranged the first widow remarriage on December 11, 1881. For his reformist activities, Kandukuri gained attention all over the globe. The Government, in appreciation of his work, conferred on him the title of Rao Bahadur in 1893. Later he established a Widow Home.