Tenneti Viswanadham

Who was Tenneti Viswanadham?

Tenneti Viswanadham was a political figure from Visakhapatnam, on the east coast of India. He took an active part in India's struggle for independence. He is remembered now for his role in the establishment of a modern and shore based steel plant at Visakhapatnam.

Tenneti was born at Lakkavaram in Visakhapatnam district in 1895. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he joined the Indian Freedom Movement and participated in the salt satyagraha and the Quit India movement. He went to jail five times during the freedom movement.

He was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937. During 1951 he served as the leader of the Opposition in the Madras Assembly. He was elected to 4th Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam constituency.

He served as the Minister for Finance and Law for Andhra State after the state was carved out of Madras Presidency.

He died in 1979.

A Five Rupee stamp in his name was released on 10 November 2005 by Department of Posts, India.

The city of Visakhapatnam has a park named after him. It also has two bronze statues erected in his memory- one was erected right in the heart of the city at Jagadamba Junction,and subsequently another was erected in the Steel Plant township 'Ukkunagaram' . The Municipal Corporation building is called 'Tenneti Bhavanam'. There is a colony going by the name Tenneti Nagar, in Visakhapatnam which is named after him.