It is universally accepted that language plays a very significant role in the life of community and it encompasses every aspect of social organization. Further every linguistic group cherished its language as a principal element of cultural unity and in fact all members of the group do contribute to its development. To cite Emerson in this context, he compared language to a city to which every human being brought a stone.

           The Linguistic Survey of India reveals that there are 179 languages and 544 dialects in India belonging to Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Berman families, the first that being more important of them. In a sub-continent like India, with an area as large as one third of Europe excluding Russia, it is but common that there exists multiplicity of languages. There is a common heritage for all the linguistic groups in this great country, and forever language there is a strong under-current of Indianess. There is individual entity for all languages in this vast nation. But all the languages are interwoven by bonds of common legacy.

           Telugus are a people with a hoary past. Recent research studies in Kurnool district reveal that there existed a culture in this region which was skin and contemporary to the Maya and Mohenjo-Daro cultures. It is during the period of Satavahanas that this came under a homogeneous unit and linked under a single administration in an integrated territory. The rule of Satavahanas, in fact ushered a glorious era in the annals of Andhras, whose Kaleidoscope achievements encompassed many a part of the world. The territorial unity of Andhra's however could not be kept undisturbed during the subsequent regimes. Nevertheless, their personality blossomed to the full,during the periods of Kakatiya and Vijayanagara Rulers. Years after the dis-integration of Kakatiya empire, the territory passed into the sway of the Nizam.members of royal family found shelter in Bastar. Similarly, the fall of Vijayanagara empire confined the dynasty to chandragiri. The area, in course of time slipped into the possession of Britishers. Andhra then had to live partly under the british rule and partly under the Nizam rule.

           The formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, with the merger of Telangana districts with the then exciting Andhra State brought the Telugu speaking people in contiguous areas under one administrative unit.

           Telugus are second largest speech community in India and the largest among speakers of the Dravidian family of languages. As per the 1971 census report, 371 lakhs Telugu speaking live in Andhra Pradesh, and about 76 lakhs more in other parts of India-notably in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, Around 1.5 lakhs of them are domiciled in Malaysia, one lakh in South Africa, fifty thousand each in Mauritius and Fiji Islands, seventeen thousand in Burma and in large numbers in U.S.A., U.K., Srilanka and other countries. They are the most populous speakers of the Dravidian family of languages.

           The language spoken in a vast area of 275 square kilometers of Andhra Pradesh has naturally several regional dialects and many class dialects besides a very specialized literary dialect (which ofcourse is now fading away, losing ground to the modern colloquial standard). The linguistic Survey of India and the Census Report have enumerated most of these dialects, Some of them are being studied in various ways. There are mainly four dialects spoken in the 23 districts of the State. The costal variety which is the dominant one is spoken in the six districts along the coast, i.e., East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore and Prakasam. The Telangana dialect is spoken in the ten districts which were formerly part of the Nizam's dominions I.e., Adilabad, Nizamabad, Medak, Karimnagar, Warangal, Mahaboobnagar, Rangareddy, Hyderabad, Nalgonda and Khammam. The Rayalaseema dialect obtains four districts, i.e., Kurnool, Ananthapur, Cuddapah and Chitoor districts. The Kalingandhar dialect is spoken in three districts. Viz., Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Vishakapatnam.

           Regional dialects of Telugu are spoken in Tamil Nadu (Madras, North Arcot, Salem, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Ramnad, Kanyakumari, Chengalput, South Arcot, Madhurai, Tiruchi, Tanjore, Tirunalvelly districts). In Karnataka (Bangalore, Tumkar, Chitradurga, Kolar, Mysore, Mandya, Raichur, Bellary and Gulbarga districts). In Maharashtra (Bombay, Poona, Sholapur, Nanded, Yeotmal and Chanda districts), in Orissa (Koraput, Ganjam and Cuttak districts), in Madhya Pradesh (Bastar and Durg districts). In the Midnapur district of West Bengal, in the Singbhum district of Bihar and in the Palghat district of Kerala. On the whole, Telugus in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa are increasing in numbers but are dwindling elsewhere.

           There are several class dialects spoken by Telugus within the state of Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere. Vadaril spoken throughout Telangana also occurs in Maharashtra, Gujrat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Kaamaathi occurs in Maharashtra and Gujrat, Beeraaol and Daasari spoken in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Pourla occurs only in Maharashtra, Koomtaav, Golaaril and Kaapeewaari are Telugu dialects spoken in Madhya Pradesh. Similarly, Ekidi, Mijal, Theeraaril, Madari, Koduva, Vadaga and Ottanmoli dialects of Telugu are enumerated as occurring in Tamil Nadu.

           Telugu is believed to have been an off-shoot of a Dravidian parent, sharing with Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, among the literary languages of the family and some eighteen other non literary languages. Proto-Dravidian is estimated to have been the parent of all these languages at about 4000 BC. Telugu separated from the family sometime between 1100-900 BC and developed into a great literary language much earlier than the 11th century AD. There are very early references to the people and the language in ancient works. Athreya Brahmana(600 BC) referred to the Telugu for the first time in known history and called them Andhraas. The word has variants like Andhra, Andha, Andhraka in early Sanskrit literatures. Ramaayana called the kingdom of our people aandhradeesa, aandhraapatha, aandhramandal. Bharata's Natyasaastra mentions that Aandhra was a

           Vibhasa or a separate native language. Tamil literature of Sangam period has references to Telugu calling it Vadagu or Vaduga 'northern'. The word Telugu has variants in Telugu/Telungu and Tenugu/Tenungu, occurring in literature from the eleventh century AD. Vaayupurana mentions Tilinga as the name of a township. Portuguese called the people Gentio(Jentio) and their language Gentoo(Jentu). Tilingaas or Telangaas still living in Nepal, in South Eastern parts of India and Burma are probably of our stock. The first regular Indian troops, raised by the British and trained as the then modern army on par with European soldiers are called Telangaas.

           The first recorded evidence for the Telugu language obtains in an one-word rock edict found at Amaravati(Guntur District) datable anywhere between the second century BC and the second century AD. The famous prakrit anthology Sattaasay(Saptasati) compiled by the Andhra king Hala of the Satavaahana dynasty, Kumarila Bhatta's Tantra vartikam and several other Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions contain words, place, names and personal names besides a few short phrases in Telugu. Inscriptions in Telugu appear from 575 AD at the earliest, the earliest being found at Erragudipadu village in the Kamalapuram Taluq of Cuddapah district. Telugu inscriptions in verse and those in prose written in ornamental or literary prose appear from 630 AD. The language shows us from the earliest known period, a considerable Sanskrit influence both in diction and in phase structure. The first great literary work, Nannayya's Mahabhaaratam written during the 11th century. Till about the 17th century, Telugu literature developed many a genre native to itself and thereafter imbibed many different literary forms because of the influence of English. Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada are the three languages of India which have literature earlier than that in Telugu. Telugu and Kannada had common script until about 1300 AD. Some argue that the separation of scripts took place even as early as 1030 AD. North Indian literatures are much later in development. Telugu is listed as one of the national languages in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution.

           Any language passes through the natural course of development. Telugu became a literary language by the 11th century but the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh during the 20th century. The period between the two stages attests the gradual growth in stature of the language. Until after the end of the 2nd century AD, Telugu was laying low as any other vernacular in official activities. Later it found place in bilingual Sanskrit-Telugu, and Prakrit-Telugu inscriptions with a progressively increasing usage till about the 17th century AD. In spite of literary references, there is no valid proof for its being the official language during the period of Vengi calukyas. Minor kings, feudal lords and chieftains started using Telugu as their official language even from as early a time as the 575 AD. Codas of Velnaadu, Vaydumbas, Baanas etc did like this. But Sanskrit continued its domination as a language of the state with all emperors like Kakatiyas and its prestige went on increasing day by day. It may be desirable here to quote from the history of Reddy kingdoms written by late eminent Mallampally Somasekhara Sharma on this matter which is as follows:

           "With the establishment of independence in the country, Telugu literature entered on a new phase of development. Before this period it found favor with only maandalikas or feudatory chiefs, while Sanskrit enjoyed royal favor and patronage from the sovereign lords of the land...The Kakatiya Monarchs of Warangal also supported Sankrit Scholars and Poets, while their subordinates patronized Telugu poets. Telugu also emerged from its subservient position, and proudly occupied an equal, if not superior, status to Sanskrit, and shared the royal patronage equally".

           The prestige of Telugu increased progressively and its hold on kings and dynasties tightened. Even when moslems like Qutubshaahis of Golkona held their sway, Telugu became increasingly popular as medium of administration. During the British period, all notification, declarations and records pertaining to populace continued to be in Telugu even though the official language was English. Telugu found its way as medium of instruction up to Matriculation by 1920's, when the Andhra University was established in 1926 during the British regime. Sections 3 and 4 of the act envisaged teaching through the medium of Telugu. It did not happen but the intention was there. It has to be noted that by this idea if not the measure, the speakers of Telugu were contemplating to develop Telugu as the vehicle of modern thought and expression not only in the administrative field but in the fields of Science and Technology. The hope was to develop into a great modern language like English.

           Development of Telugu received a shot in the arms when the separate state of Andhra was carved out on October 1, 1953 in Independent India, commensurate with the national policy of ruling the people in their language. In 1955, on September 29, the assembly once again resolved the urgent need to increase use of Telugu in State transactions. United Andhra Pradesh was formed on November 1, 1956 and efforts were made in the mean time to compile glossaries of administrative and judicial terms that should be used. The committee constituted for the purpose under the chairman ship of the late Ayyadevara Kaleswara Rao completed its work in 1963. The year 1966 is the most important since it was then the A. P. State Legislature passed on enactment declaring Telugu as the official language of the state. On March 19, 1974 the State Government established the official language commission with Vavilaala Gopalakrishnayya as Chairman, in order to expedite the process.

           Legal Administration, for all practical purposes, has been in Telugu in the lower courts. Recently the A.P. High Court permitted judgments of lower Courts to be delivered in Telugu. Legislative, Executive and legal administrative wings being inter dependent, the good work done at one place will certainly leave its marks on others. The progress, growth and development that Telugu registered on these fronts runs in close parallel to The development of other Indian Languages. Telugu translation of the constitution of India received authenticity only a few months ago. In the field of education the achievement of Telugu is remarkable.

           The Government appointed a high level committee of scholars under the Chairmanship of the late Pingali Lakshmi Kantham in 1965 to postulate the form of Telugu that should be used as the medium of instruction and also in administrative usage. Later in 1966, another committee was constituted under the Chairman ship of the then education Secretary J. P. L. Gwynn to advise the government on the modus operandi. As a result, the Government established an institution for the purpose, named it 'Telugu Akademi' and directed that the new body should publish literature in Telugu at the University level and assist the Government in the modernization and enrichment of the language. In the same year Telugu was declared the medium of instruction at the intermediate level and in 1970, as the same at the first degree level. Hundreds of Text books reference and other reading material have been published by this Akademi in about 25 different subjects and has recently taken up production post -Graduate level material. Telugu is the language that can borrow, absorb and use any foreign words or concept with ease like English. In the course of a decade or so from now, it will have overtaken in richness of vocabulary, profoundity of information and versatility of expression all Indian languages inclusive of Hindi because of its in-built qualities and the wide and various modern literary, scientific and Technological information that modern Telugu is producing.