Kandukuri Veeresalingam

Kandukuri Veeresalingam

Rao Bahadur Kandukuri Veeresalingam (Telugu: కందుకూరి వీరేశలింగం) (16 April 1848 – 27 May 1919), also known as Kandukuri Veeresalingham Pantulu (Telugu: కందుకూరి వీరేశలింగం పంతులు), was a social reformer of Andhra Pradesh. He was born in an orthodox Niyogi Telugu Brahmin family. He is widely considered as the man who first brought about a renaissance in Telugu people and Telugu literature. He was influenced by the ideals of Brahmo Samaj particularly those of Keshub Chunder Sen. He got involved in the cause of social reforms. In 1876 he started a Telugu journal and wrote the first prose for women. He encouraged education for women, and started a school in Dowlaiswaram in 1874. He started a social organisation called Hitakarini (Benefactor).

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