He changed the face of our map POTTI SRIRAMULU MARCH 16, 1901 — DECEMBER 16, 1952

If Vallabhbhai Patel was largely responsible for the present boundaries of India, it was a former railway employee and Gandhian from Madras who was the catalyst for a redrawing of the map of India. On October 19, 1952 Potti Sriramulu began a fast in the heart of Madras city demanding that a separate state be carved out of Madras province for Telugu-speaking people.
Much before Independence, the Congress had understood that the British administrative units would not be practical in free India. Many provincial Congress committees were based on linguistic zones and not the administrative divisions of British India. Shortly after Independence, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that ‘‘government should hurry up with the reorganisation of linguistic provinces’’.
Nehru was, however, not convinced. In the aftermath of the Partition, he felt that any further division of India could undermine the stability of the country. In this Patel supported him. But the Congress’s position could not prevent the movements for linguistic autonomy from gathering momentum. Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam and Gujarati speakers were all demanding separate states. The Vishala Andhra movement by Telugu speakers was by far the most vigorous.
Nehru, who had felt the ire of Telugu protesters during the election campaign for the 1952 elections, told Parliament on May 22: ‘‘Even though the formation of linguistic provinces may be desirable in some cases, this would obviously be the wrong time.’’ It was in this backdrop that Sriramulu began his fast. When Nehru heard of Sriramulu’s fast, he decided to ignore it. After keeping off food for 56 days, Sriramulu died.
Immediately all hell broke loose. Large numbers took to the streets and many were injured or killed in police firing. Several legislators resigned their seats in protest. In December 1952, Nehru was forced to concede the protesters’ demands and announced the formation of a separate Andhra sate. This would lead to the setting up of the States Reorganisation Committee in 1953. On the basis of its report, 14 states and six union territories were created in 1956.
Sriramulu did not live to see the formation of Andhra Pradesh. He would have probably been stunned at how his fast transformed the geography of India.