Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, widely remembered as Andhra Kesari (Lion of Andhra), was the first chief minister of the Andhra State. The great Indian politician and freedom fighter were born today on 23rd August 1872. In his honour, the Andhra Pradesh government issued G.O RT-2500 on 10 August 2014 declaring his birth anniversary a state festival.

T. Prakasam was born at Vinodarayunipalem, Madras presidency, into a Telugu Niyogi Brahmin family of Subbamma and Gopala Krishnayya. He completed schooling in Ongole and Rajahmundry and thereafter became a second-grade pleader in the Madras High Court. Later, he was elected as Municipal Chairman of Rajahmundry when he was just 31 years. In 1904, he went to England for doing barrister course.

He started attending the Congress Party sessions regularly and gave up his lucrative law practice. He also started and was the working editor of a newspaper Swarajya (literally self-rule). The paper was published simultaneously in English, Telugu and Tamil. In December 1921 at the Ahmadabad session, He was elected the general secretary of the Congress Party.

In 1946, he became the Chief Minister of the composite Madras State, a member of the Constituent Assembly and the first Chief Minister of Andhra State during 1953-54. To honour him India Postal Department has issued 20 Paise commemorative postage stamp in 1972.

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