Telangana - A Historical Perspective

Telangana - A Historical Perspective

The history of Telangana since the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 is one of humiliation, breach of trust and exploitation of its people and resources. This has stretched the patience of simple, trusting and peace loving people to the hilt. The popular and broad based demand for a separate statehood for Telangana is again in the forefront.


In fact, the demand for separate statehood for Telangana started even before the formation of Andhra Pradesh and continued since then. It never ceased to exist and never faded from public memory but suppressed with periodic assurances which were never fulfilled.


Before independence, Telangana was part of the princely state of Hyderabad, which consisted of Telugu, Marathi and Kannada speaking regions. At the time of independence,

Hyderabad State continued to retain its separate identity. Following the intervention of the Union Government which was popularly termed as the ‘Police Action,’ Hyderabad State was merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948. From 1948,

Hyderabad State remained under the administration of the Union Government till general elections were held in 1952.