Aluru Venkata Rao’s 67th Birth Anniversary: Interesting facts about the Kannada Kulapurohita

Today, 12 July marks the 67th birth anniversary of Aluru Venkata Rao who pioneered the Karnataka Ekikarana (unification) movement. Rao who was a freedom fighter, lawyer, historian, writer and journalist at once, played a significant role in how Karnataka looks on the Indian map today. Later in life, he got honoured with the title of Kannada Kulapurohita (High Priest). Rao was born in 1880 when Karnataka was divided into five geographical regions. While the majority of the Cauvery delta was part of the Mysore Kingdom, other south Karnataka districts were included in Madras Presidency. Vijayapura district from where Rao came was a part of the Bombay Presidency. During his college days, Rao felt the geographical divisions, the alienation of Kannadigas and the domination of other languages reflected that Kannada was losing its prominence. And the reason he believed was Kannada people’s love for Marathi art, theatre and cinema. He studied BA at Pune’s Fergusson College and later pursued law at Bombay University. After returning to Dharwad in 1905, he started practising as a pleader. However in 1920, he gave up his profession and started his journey as a freedom fighter. Here are some lesser-known facts about the Kannada Kulapurohita:

• In 1913, Rao wrote a book for school students named Kannadiga Vramanirasana (The Disillusionment of Kannadigas) where he focused on the evidence of the Kanheri caves in Maharashtra were built by Kannadigas.
• He was highly influenced by the large-scale protest by Bengalis during the partition of Bengal. As a result, he formed the Karnataka Ithihasa Samshodhana Mandali in 1914 to allow people to study the Kannada heritage.
• Though his father wanted him to be a pleader or a judge, he became the editor of the Vagbhushana magazine after giving up his job.
• After getting influenced by the patriotic activities of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Rao established the Karnataka unit of the Home Rule League. As a result, he got arrested in 1931 during the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• After his visit to Anegundi in 1905, he made up his mind to write ‘Karnataka Gatavaibhava’ (Past Glory of Karnataka) after witnessing the situation there. He took 13 years to complete the book which described the rich contribution of all ruling dynasties in Karnataka. The book got published in 1918.
• For the cause of Karnataka, Venkata Rao wrote a total of 12 books and 8 booklets. He also founded several schools and institutions across the state.
• In 1956, Karnataka was formally carved out and Rao approached the President and the Prime Minister of India to add Karnataka to the national anthem.
• The Kannada leader passed away on 24 February 1964 at the age of 84. In 2015, to mark his contribution, the state government named the Albert Victor Road in Chamrajpet after him.

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