Khandavalli Lakshmi Ranjanam (1 March 1908 – 18 June 1986) is doyen of

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 research from

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 ...

, India. He was born in Ganti Pedapudi village, (

East Godavari East Godavari is a district in the Coastal Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Its district headquarters is at Rajamahendravaram. Geography This district is surrounded by: * North East: Alluri Sitharama Raju district * North West: Eluru d ...

) of the erstwhile

Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency or Madras Province, officially called the Presidency of Fort St. George until 1937, was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India and later the Dominion of India. At its greatest extent, the presidency i ...

on 1 March 1908.His ancestral native was Bellampudi, 3 miles from P.Gannavaram. He lost his father early in life and bore the burden of the family. He passed B.A. in first class and M.A. in Telugu and Sanskrit from

Madras University The University of Madras is a public university, public State university (India), state university in Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1857, it is one of the oldest and most prominent universities in India, incorporated by an ...

. He came to Hyderabad in 1928 and joined as a teacher in a Government school.

Osmania University Osmania University is a collegiate university, collegiate Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, issued a ''firman'' calling f ...

, though established long ago, did not have a seat in Telugu subject. Rayaprolu Subbarao joined as lecturer in Telugu. Lakshmiranjanam joined under him as junior lecturer. They persuaded the university authorities to open Telugu classes in the constituent colleges. He was elevated to lecturer and head of the department in 1945 and Professor in 1952. Having established the Telugu department strongly, he turned his efforts to establish a

Research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

wing in Telugu language. The first Ph.D. degree in Telugu from the university was achieved by Dr. B.Rama Raju. He edited some parvas of Tikkana Mahabharatam for Sahitya Academy. His major work is Sangrahandhra Vignanakosam - Encyclopedia in 8 volumes. Between 1912 and 1938

Komarraju Venkata Lakshmana Rao Komarraju Venkata Lakshmana Rao (18 May 1877 – 14 July 1923) was an Indian scholar, writer, and editor known for his contributions to Telugu literature and historical research. He is best remembered for initiating '' Andhra Vignana Sarva ...

and

Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao Kasinadhuni Nageswararao, better known as Nageswara Rao Pantulu, (1 May 1867 – 11 April 1938) was an Indian journalist, nationalist, politician, businessman, and a staunch supporter of Khaddar movement. He participated in the Indian indepen ...

compiled Encyclopedia of Telugu - Andhra Vignana Sarvaswam. They could bring 3 volumes. After that Urlam Zamindar Prasadaraya Bahadur with the help of scholars published 7 volumes. Lakshmirajyam with strong determination edited and published 8 volumes of Sangrahandhra Vignana Kosam. He published Andhra History and geographical facts of Andhra Pradesh. He established

Vivekananda Educational Society Vivekananda Educational Society (VES) is a registered non profit, service organization which owns and operates several schools located in the vicinity of Chennai. It has 20 schools in and around Chennai and one residential school, which are affi ...

and started a high school for boys and girls. He started Andhra Oriental Sanskrit and Telugu College at Nallakunta in 1958. This college grew to a Postgraduate Centre and celebrating its Golden jubilee in 2008.

References

*20th Century Telugu Velugulu, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ranjanam, Khandavalli Lakshmi Telugu people Writers from Andhra Pradesh 1908 births 1986 deaths Telugu-language writers 20th-century Indian educational theorists Scholars from Andhra Pradesh University of Madras alumni Academic staff of Osmania University