Prof. Biruduraju Ramaraju
Godfather of Telugu Folklore Studies | First PhD in Folklore in South India
Prof. Biruduraju Ramaraju (16 April 1925 – 8 February 2010) was a legendary scholar, folklorist, and literary historian from Telangana. He was the first PhD scholar in folklore studies in South India and the first from Osmania University to receive a doctorate in Telugu folklore. In 1995, the Government of India honoured him with the rare distinction of ‘National Research Professor’ — a title shared with luminaries like Prof. Yash Pal, Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, and M.S. Subbulakshmi. His authority spanned both the pan-Indian Sanskritic tradition and the vibrant local folk traditions with equal felicity.
Born: 16 April 1925, Devanoor village. He completed primary education at Devanoor and Madikonda on the outskirts of Hanamkonda. For higher education, he walked 14 km to and from Hanamkonda every day for about eight years. He graduated from Nizam College and earned his MA in Telugu from Osmania University in 1951.
Political Awakening: As a matriculation student during the independence movement, he volunteered for Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Telangana in 1946. He was jailed for participating in the Congress Satyagraha movement in 1947. The same year, his father’s sudden demise placed the family’s responsibilities on his young shoulders, forcing him to abandon his dream of studying at the London School of Economics. Yet he never gave up on scholarship.
When Ramaraju submitted his proposal for a doctorate in folklore studies, it was dismissed as unworthy, wasting a precious year of his academic life. But persistence prevailed. In 1956, his doctoral dissertation “Janapada Geya Sahityamu” (Folk Song Literature) was awarded, making him the first PhD in folklore studies in South India and Osmania University’s first PhD in Telugu language and literature. The dissertation remains a foundational text, often called the “Bible of Telugu Folklore Studies.” Years later, he served as Dean of Studies and Head of the same Telugu department that had once rejected his proposal.
Ramaraju’s fascination with palm‑leaf manuscripts began in 1953 when he discovered a sack full of them lying neglected in a poor priest’s house. He went on to earn an MA and PhD in Sanskrit, publishing “Contribution of Andhras to Sanskrit Literature” — a seminal work that introduced over three hundred lesser‑known scholars and poets from Telugu‑speaking regions who enriched Sanskrit literature. His “Charitrakekkani Charitatarthulu” recorded 34 hitherto unknown poets, rewriting the literary history of Sanskrit from a neglected perspective.
For the first time, he translated works of Sharat Chandra Chatterjee and Munshi Premchand into Telugu, introducing them to the region’s readers. He authored “Murarram folk songs in Telugu” and edited the first Urdu‑Telugu dictionary. In 1957, he played the lead role in a production of Hamlet. His mastery over Urdu, Telugu, Sanskrit, Hindi, and English allowed him to traverse cultural boundaries effortlessly.
Association with Luminaries: He was a close associate of Kaloji Narayana Rao (Praja Kavi), dancer Nataraja Ramakrishna, and former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao — supporting the latter in all literary matters while staying away from his political career. Ramaraju and Dr. C. Narayana Reddy were known as the legendary duo “Rama‑Naryana poets.”
When a scholar snubbed him saying “Andhra Pradesh has no saints,” Ramaraju took it as a challenge. Using grants from his National Research Professorship, he compiled a half‑dozen volume work on the “Saints of Andhra Pradesh” — a pioneering effort that remains an invaluable resource for research scholars and literary enthusiasts.
A contemporary of A.K. Ramanujam, Javare Gowda, H.M. Nayak, P.D. Goswami, Shankar Sengupta, and Pushkar Chandavarkar, Ramaraju was instrumental in introducing folklore as a discipline in universities from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. He served as a visiting professor in over fifty universities and toured Russia and other countries on cultural exchange programmes. As Emeritus Professor at Osmania University and later with the UGC, his influence shaped the very foundation of Indian folklore academia.
He collected hundreds of rare palm‑leaf manuscripts and generously donated them to libraries across the country. On one occasion, the renowned scholar Dr. R.N. Dandekar (known for his rigid demeanour) traveled specifically to see Ramaraju’s manuscript collection and bowed in reverence — making news in academic circles nationwide.
Ramaraju’s integrity was legendary. He took part in meetings organised by youth leaders like Kaloji, P.V. Narasimha Rao, T. Hayagreeva Chari and M.S. Rajalingam. Under the influence of Arya Samaj and Andhra Mahasabha in Warangal, he was actively involved in politics for a while. But when he won a parliamentary seat in 1952, he refused to take it — because his heart lay in promoting folklore studies and literary research. That decision defined his life: a scholar above power, a teacher above titles.
Chronology & Milestones
Prof. Ramaraju published over a hundred seminal research papers, forty books in half a dozen languages, and edited many more titles. He mentored students who later became vice‑chancellors of universities. His large collection of lakhs of rare books, manuscripts, and research papers was donated to the C.P. Brown Memorial Library in Cuddapah (Rayalseema region).
Yet, after the formation of Telangana state, his contribution was largely forgotten. He did not live to see the new state, and no proper Sahitya Akademi or state initiative has adequately honoured this son of the soil. Today, he remains a framed photograph in the corridors of Osmania University — a symbol of scholarship and sacrifice.
But his work lives on: Every student of Telugu folklore, every researcher of Sanskrit literature from Andhra and Telangana, stands on the shoulders of this gentle giant. It is time for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to acknowledge unsung heroes like Prof. Biruduraju Ramaraju — to inspire new generations of scholars and artists.
- Veejay Sai, “The forgotten Telugu literary hero and Osmania’s first PhD: Biruduraju Ramaraju” – The News Minute
- “Bridging the language divide” – The Hindu
- Biruduraju Ramaraju, Janapada Geya Sahityamu (1955) – the first Telugu folklore dissertation.
- Ramaraju, Contribution of Andhras to Sanskrit Literature (1968).
- “Saints of Andhra Pradesh” (6 volumes, unpublished manuscript collection, C.P. Brown Library).
- Government of India, National Research Professor citation (1995).
Prof. Ramaraju’s legacy deserves wider recognition across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
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