Kothapalli Jayashankar

Early life

Kothapalli Jayashankar was born in Akkampet village, Atmakur mandal, Warangal in Andhra Pradesh state to Lakshmikantha Rao and Mahalakshmi of the Vishwakarma community.He did his schooling in Hanamkonda, Warangal and his MA in Economics at Banaras Hindu University, MA in Economics at Aligarh Muslim University,PhD in Economics at Osmania University, and BEd at Osmania university in Hyderabad.

Telangana movement

As a young student of intermediate, he walked out of his class in protest against state reorganisation in 1952. He also started in a bus to participate in 1952 Mulkhi Agitation. Then, in 1962, he was part of a campaign which rocked the region. He joined the movement for a separate Telangana state in 1952, when he was a student leader.

As a lecturer, in 1968, he participated in the revived agitation. He carried out his struggle for Telangana through research and academic studies, and by educating people on the cause. He is known as the original Telangana ideologue. He led several agitations since 1962, transforming into a mass movement after 1969 agitation.

He was associated with the Telangana movement efforts to obtain statehood for Telangana since 1952, stating with Non-Mulki go back and Idli Sambar go back movement. He wanted the "Puri Muttor" to populate the lands of Telangana. In 1969 Jayashankar formed a strong team with about ten members, in consultation with Prof. Rawada Satyannaraya, to contribute as intellectuals during the fight for Telangana and not be Silent Spectators any more. To name a few of them are Prof. Anand Rao Thota, Prof. Parmaji and Prof. Sreedhara Swamy. While many of them died, two of them are fortunately alive and they now are Prof. Parmaki and Prof. Sreedhara Swamy.

New District

Jayashankar Bhupalpally (Acharya Jayashankar) District is carved out of erstwhile Warangal District with the annexation of some parts of Karimnagar and with 1 Revenue Divisions and 11 mandals. The district is named after Telangana ideologue, Prof. K. Jayashankar sir.