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Chaturvedula Venkata Krishnaiah

(1894 – 1953) – (Andhra Pradesh)

Chaturvedula Venkata Krishnaiah was born in 1894 in the village of Pallepadu in Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, India. His parents, Sri Raghavaiah and Smt. Lakshmi Devamma, were devout followers of Vedic Dharma, and their family benefited from the Pallepadu Stotram temple. Despite being raised in an orthodox family, he grew up to become an unwavering opponent of the caste system.

Chaturvedula Venkata was deeply influenced by Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s call to patriotism, “Freedom Is My Birth Right.” He established a school called Tilak Vipra Vidyalaya, using his own resources and funds collected through alms. He did not complete formal schooling but self-educated himself in English, literature, history, and social sciences. As a dedicated follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s constructive principles, he opened a store in Nellore that sold Khadi and indigenous products.

Before embracing Gandhian philosophy, Chaturvedula had connections with groups holding revolutionary ideologies in Madras and Pondicherry. His organization, Suddha Swadeshi Kendra, served as a hub for activities involving individuals such as Paturi Subba Ramaiah, Balasaraswathamma, Ponaka Kanakamma, Vennelakanti Raghavaiah, Kondaparthi Punnaiah, and others. He maintained regular correspondence with Gandhi and actively participated in the freedom struggle in his district, leading to multiple imprisonments.

During his stay at the Sabarmati Ashram, Chaturvedula formed a close friendship with Digumarthi Hanumantha Rao. Their camaraderie was cemented by the establishment of the Sathyagra Ashram in Pallepadu village, which he initiated under Gandhiji’s guidance. He was one of the four founders and lifelong trustees of the ashram. Chaturvedula dedicated himself to the development of the Ashram alongside Digumarthi, promoting the use of the Hindi language and Khadi. He organized communal dining areas and provided food for Harijan communities, which resulted in a social boycott not only from his own community but from the entire village. In this context, he played the role of a torchbearer of Gandhian and social welfare principles.

In 1926, the Nellore District Adi Andhra Conference was hosted at his Ashram in Pallepadu. The passing of Digumarthi was a profound loss, leaving him feeling purposeless and desolate. He spent the remainder of his life at the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, where he served as the editor of the journal Arka.

Chaturvedula Venkata Krishnaiah, a remarkable freedom fighter, passed away in May 1953.