The life and work of Venkat Rao

Known as the Hyderabadi Ambedkar, his leadership was praiseworthy

S Venkata Rao subsequently changed the name of Ambedkar Youth League into Hyderabad State Depressed Classes Association. In recognition of the importance of Dalit movement in Hyderabad, Ambedkar invited Venkata Rao to preside over the Bombay Presidency Mahar Sabha. Inspired by the growing Dalit movement in Maharashtra, Venkata Rao initiated several activities to spread Ambedkarism among the Dalit youth in Hyderabad.

He was strongly influenced by educational institutions and movements led by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule in Maharashtra, and worked for the spread of education among the Dalit youth through many organisations. A large number of Dalit youth from Hyderabad, Secunderabad, and Bollaram areas took active part in progressive activities under the leadership of Venkata Rao.

Railway employees, Army Jawans, domestic helps with English officers, businessmen, contractors, among others, initiated several activities for the promotion of awareness among Dalits.

Venkata Rao’s leadership for Dalit movement in Hyderabad State for more than 30 years earned recognition in administrative, civil, and political fields. He was nominated in 1937 as member of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

Later, he became member of the Nizam Defence Council in 1943, member of Hyderabad Legislative Council in 1946 as unanimous candidate, and worked as Education Minister of Mir Laiq Ali’s Cabinet in 1947.

He did enormous work as Education Minister for promotion of education among the depressed classes. Nizam’s government sanctioned grant of Rs 1 crore to Scheduled Castes Welfare Fund because of the initiative taken by Venkata Rao. In recognition of his services, the Nizam honoured Venkata Rao with title of Khusro-e-Aleem. In 1952, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha by the Legislative Assembly. Popularly known as Hyderabadi Ambedkar, Venkata Rao was a courageous leader in building an inspiring movement for liberation of Dalits.

Christian missionaries and Dalits

Several organisations and prominent personalities worked for social, cultural, and economic transformation in Telangana from the last decade of the 19th century. Arya Samaj, Brahma Samaj, Jagan Mithra Mandali, Adi Hindu Maha Sabha, and Andhra Maha Sabha engaged in promotion of new social awareness to end injustice and oppression of Dalit and Bahujan women.

Telangana region witnessed rise of several cultural and political movements from the first decade of the 20th century against feudal exploitation, untouchability, vetti, Jogini, child marriages, dowry, etc. Christian missionaries were the early agencies that engaged in providing new enthusiasm and consciousness among the Dalit and Bahujan communities by offering western education and knowledge as part of colonial modernisation.

Spread of Christian missionaries, religious campaign, and proselytisation/ religious conversions continued since the 1880s during the Nizam’s rule in Hyderabad and Secunderabad as well as in districts of Telangana.

Social, cultural and economic changes took place in depressed classes adopting Christianity. Western missionaries studied closely the socio-economic exploitation and discrimination suffered by the Dalits in Nizam state. Missionaries viewed Dalits as symbols of poverty and oppression and likened Dalit lives with ‘rag quilt and thatched huts’.

Missionaries studied closely the process of Dalits condemned into darkness through social ostracism, and religious bigotry and considered it was their immediate responsibility to bring them into light. They believed that Dalits could not expect equal status/ rightful place in Hinduism and, therefore, conversion into Christianity was inevitable.

The first Wesleyan Methodist Church in Telangana was established with total support of Joseph Cornelius, a Telugu person, in July 1880 in Ramkote of Hyderabad.
To be continued…

 

Arundathiya Mahasabha, Matangi Sabha and Jambavarna Seva Samithi worked for the development of the Madiga community

Prof. Adapa Satyanarayana
Retired Professor,
Department of History, OU
Ph. 9573405551