Rayalaseema
Rayalaseema is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It comprises four southern districts of the State, from prior to the districts reorganisation in 2022, namely Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, and Chittoor. Four new districts were created from these, namely Sri Sathya Sai, Nandyal, Annamayya, and Tirupati. As of 2011 census of India, the western four districts of the region had a population of 15,184,908 and cover an area of.
Etymology
The region was previously called Ceded districts during the rule of the British Raj. This is with reference to the time when the Nizam of Hyderabad, Ali Khan, ceded the region to the British as a part of subsidiary alliance. Chilukuri Narayana Rao, a Telugu lecturer and activist from Anantapur, deemed the term "ceded" as derogatory and coined the term Rayalaseema. In the Andhra Mahasabha and Ceded Districts Conference held at Nandyala in November 1928, he moved a resolution to the effect which was accepted by the other delegates of the conference.The name Rayalaseema hearkened back to the Vijayanagara times, whose Kings used a suffix Rāya or Rāyalu in Telugu as their regnal title. The boundaries of Rayalaseema roughly match the territorial extent of the Aravidu dynasty, the last dynasty to rule the Vijayanagara Empire. People of region coined their land as a '''Raya Desam.'''
Post independence
The four districts of the region were part of the Madras Presidency until 1953. From 1953 to 1956, the region was a part of Andhra State and in 1956, the Telangana region was merged with Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh State. On 2 February 1970, three taluks from Kurnool i.e., Markapur, Cumbum and Giddalur were merged along with some other taluks of Nellore district and Guntur district to form Prakasam district.In February 2014, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 bill was passed by the Parliament of India for the formation of Telangana state comprising ten districts. Hyderabad will remain as a joint capital for 10 years for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The new State of Telangana came into existence on 2 June 2014 after approval from the President of India. The formation of a new state named Telangana from Andhra Pradesh is not considered an amendment to the Constitution of India per article 3 and 4 of that document.
Geography
Rayalaseema region is located in the southern region of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The region borders the state of Tamil Nadu to the south, Karnataka to the west and Telangana to the north, Nellore, Markapuram districts and bay of Bengal in the east. Some areas in Coastal Andhra, such as Markapur revenue division of Markapuram district, share similar geography, culture and climate to Rayalaseema as they are once part of the Kurnool district.Lake
The only lake located in the region of Rayalaseema is Pulicat Lake. The major part of the lake is located in Sullurpeta division of Tirupati district.Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India,, measuring 759 square kilometres. Major part of the lagoon comes under Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. The lagoon is one of the three important wetlands to attract northeast monsoon rain clouds during the October to December season. The lagoon comprises the following regions, which adds up 759 square kilometres according to Andhra Pradesh.
Education
Universities
- Sri Venkateswara University
- Sri Krishnadevaraya University
- Yogi Vemana University
- Rayalaseema University
- Dr. Abdul Haq Urdu University
- Dravidian University
- Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam
- JNTU Anantapur
- Sanskrit Vidyapeeth
Medical colleges
- Sri Venkateswara Medical College,Tirupati
- Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa
- Kurnool Medical College
- Government Medical College, Anantapur
- Sri Padmavathi Medical College for Women,Tirupati
- Santharam Medical College, Nandyal
- PES Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Kuppam
- Govt medical college,Pulivendula
Central institutions
- Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati
- Indian Institute of Information Technology, Sri City
- Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati
- National Sanskrit University
- Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Kurnool
- Central University of Andhra Pradesh
Deemed universities
- Sri Sathya Sai University, Puttaparthi
- Annamacharya Institute of Technology And Science, Rajampeta
Transport
Roadways
The road network in region consists of many National Highways such as, NH 40, NH 42, NH 44, NH 140, NH 167, NH 340, NH 67, NH 69, NH 71, NH 716.NH 544F
NH 544G
NH 544DD