THE ROLE OF TELUGU WRITERS IN THE TELANGANA PEASANT MOVEMENT

Abstract

The Telangana Peasant Movement of the 1940s was a significant struggle against feudal exploitation, forced labour, landlord oppression, and the autocratic rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Alongside political leaders and peasant activists, Telugu writers, poets, dramatists, and cultural workers played an important role in creating social awareness and mobilising rural communities. Through poetry, songs, short stories, novels, drama, journalism, and public performances, they expressed the sufferings and aspirations of peasants and other marginalised sections of society. Writers and literary activists such as Kaloji Narayana Rao, Dasarathi Krishnamacharyulu, Vattikota Alwar Swamy, and other progressive cultural figures contributed to the development of a literary tradition associated with resistance and social reform. Literary activity connected the experiences of ordinary people with broader questions of land, dignity, language, and democratic rights. This paper examines the historical background of the Telangana Peasant Movement, the contributions of Telugu writers, the importance of oral and performative literature, and the lasting influence of the movement on Telugu literary and political consciousness.