Komarraju Venkata Lakshmana Rao (18 May 1877 – 14 July 1923) was an Indian scholar, writer, and editor known for his contributions to

Telugu literature Telugu literature includes poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and other works composed in Telugu. There is some indication that Telugu literature dates at least to the middle of the first millennium. The earliest extant works are from the ...

and historical research. He is best remembered for initiating '' Andhra Vignana Sarvasvam'' in 1912–1913, the first modern

encyclopedia An encyclopedia is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge, either general or special, in a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into article (publishing), articles or entries that are arranged Alp ...

project in any South Indian language, and for his efforts to foster intellectual discourse in Telugu. Lakshmana Rao co-founded the publishing house ''Vignana Chandrika'' ''Mandali'' alongside contemporaries such as Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao and Gadicherla Harisarvottama Rao. He also served as Diwan to the Zamindar of Munagala before moving to Madras. His also authored ''Sivaji Charithram'', a historical work in Telugu.

Life

He was the son of Komarraju Venkatappaiah and Gangamma on 18 May 1877 in a

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

family in Penuganchiprolu village in Krishna district whis is now part of

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

. His father died two years after his birth, leaving one daughter and two sons. His early education was imparted at Bhongir under his mother and step brother Shankar Rao. Later he was shifted to

Nagpur Nagpur (; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Nāgapura'') is the second capital and third-largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is called the heart of India because of its central geographical location. It is the largest and most populated city i ...

for higher education under the care of his older sister, Bhandaru Acchamamba and her husband Bhandaru Madhava Rao. Lakshmana Rao married Ramakotamma in 1897. With his help, Acchamamba became a notable scholar. Lakshmana Rao passed his B.A. examination in 1900 and took his M.A. privately in 1902. His guru was Hari Mahadev Pandit, editor of ''Vividh Gnyan Vistar''. Lakshmana Rao was the assistant editor. He wrote ''Sivaji Charithram'' in Telugu here. He shifted to Andhra in 1902, where he was first appointed as the private secretary to the Nayani Venkata Ranga Rao Bahadur, Zamindar of Munagala and subsequently as the Diwan. Later he moved to

Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...

. He was equally proficient in Telugu and Marathi languages, and considered both these languages to be his mother tongues. He knew both the standard Marathi as well as the Southern dialect of Marathi being spoken in Madras Presidency. He has authored many scholarly articles in Marathi as well. Along with Shyamji Rama Rao, Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao and Gadicherla Harisarvottama Rao, he started a publication agency, ''Vignana Chandrika''. Hari Sarvothama Rao was appointed editor and Kaleswara Rao, his assistant. Later Lakshmana Rao assumed the duties of the editor.

References

External links

An article on Lakshmanarao Komarraju (1877-1923) in Vepachedu.org website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Komarraju Venkata Lakshmana 1877 births 1923 deaths 19th-century Indian historians Telugu writers 20th-century Indian historians Writers from Krishna district Scholars from Andhra Pradesh Historians from British India