Gottunukkala Venkanna

Mr. Gottunukkala Venkanna was born in 1899, in Mallavaram Lanka, a village in Narsapur District, West Godavari District. His father was a poor ryot cooly (farm help).

He studied up to the 8th standard in a local higher elementary school. The appalling illiteracy among the Harijans and the absence of schools to educate their children, greatly touched Mr.Venkanna, and he began starting aided schools and libraries for the Harijans. He himself, while managing these schools, worked as a teacher.

K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri

Gottunukkala Venkanna

Though banishing illiteracy from among the Harijans was his main passion, he also worked for their social emancipation. He was the General Secretary of the Narsapur Untouchable Society and for twelve years President of the Narsapur Adi Audha Society; an honorary Pracharak of the Temperance Committee. He is now the Honorary Secretary of the Harijan hostels at Tanuku and Narsapur.

He is a member of the Congress since 1921. During Gandhi's historic fast he vigorously advocated joint electorates and did virulent propaganda to educate the country. Service to the country is his only hobby. He believes that the crying need for the Harijans is the spreading of the light of education and he has concentrated all his attention on this subject.

Mr. Venkanna contested the elections on the Congress ticket and came off successful with a record majority of 12,000 votes.

Source: Haripura Congress Souvenir, 1938