Vogeti Ramakrishnayya

He was born into a very rich Vogeti Family of Rajahmundry of Meraka Veedhi Telaga family. His grandfather was offered to hold vast tracts of land on his own and to get rights on the land attached to it so he could collect taxes as a zamindar, which he rejected and held the land on his own, but was given the title zamindar. From then on the family held the estates of Korukonda, Jambupatnam, Gummaldoddi, Kapavaram, Punyakshetram, Hukumpeta, Morampudi, and also had extensive landholdings in Rajahmundry. He studied in Madras to complete his schooling which was later changed into Law College. Merakaveedhi Telagas had a very prominent role in the city as they were the Senathipathis and Samantharajus of the Vijayanagar dynasty who came to Rajahmundry in the year 1757 after occupying the nawab fort of Rajahmundry serving for a century in maratha armies. Their family deity is Sri Venugopala Swamy and the Vogeti family had already donated a lot to this Temple.[3] They were the trustees of the temple for many generations. they are Vaishnavas. From childhood, Ramakrishnayya was raised as a Zamindari kid and was given respect for his behaviour. His childhood friends were Kanchumarthi Narasayya Naidu, Bayapuneedi Venkanna, etc.

He was married to Subbayamma, the Mother in law of Yerra Narasimha Rao, and the sister of Yerra Subbarayudu the Musif of the District at that time, the daughter of Subedar Yerra Venkata Swamy, and the granddaughter of Subedar Major Sardar Bahadur Yerra Ayyanna. His son's name is Vogeti Seshagiri Rao, Zamindari Landholder part thereof Nandigama Estate whom he adopted from his daughter. He is married to the daughter of Muttangi Buchiramayya, Zamindar of Nandigama, Prakkilnka, Annadevarapeta, Jaggampeta and the sister of muttangi Jaggarao, President of madras landholders association. His grandson's names are Raja Vogeti Venkata Gopala Rama Krishnam Raju who married the grand daughter Sri Rajah Yenumula Ramanna Dora, Zamindari Landholder part there of Thotapalle Estate who are also relatives to Sri Rajah Surreddi Family – Zamindars of Rekapalle, Vogeti Lakshmana Raju and three granddaughters, Andalamma, Mangatayaramma, and Subbayamma.

He acted as Municipal Councillor in Rajahmundry Municipal Council for a long time. He also acted as the justice of the peace, which gives the person judiciary power under the government so that they can make their own decisions and pass laws instead of the government, which was a practise done in the Zamindari system.[4]

He worked a lot for the development of the city. He stood by the side of truth and strove to rescue many people from fraudulent troubles.[5] He also took care of Zamindar Kanchumarthi Ramachandra Rao after he lost his adoptive father at a very young age.[6] Tanguturi Prakasam Panthulu, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, also studied with the help of Kanchumarthi Ramachandra Rao during the same time when he was under the guidance of Vogeti Ramakrishnayya.[7] Even Kanchumarthi Ramachandra Rao took the political hierarchy of Vogeti Ramakrishnayya. They had also started many rice mills with no profit for the benefit of the people.

The ancestors of these Vogetis were the Senathipathis and Samantharajas of the Vijayanagar Dynasty. They came to Rajahmundry and settled there during 1754, when Jaffer Ali Khan, the then nawab of Rajahmundry and Chichacole districts, revolted against French general Bussy who convinced Salabat Jung, the then-nizam of Hyderabad, to possess northern sarkars (circars) dethroning Jaffer Ali Khan.[8]

After the downfall of the Vijayanagar dynasty in Chandragiri in 1652, last ruled by Sri Ranga Rayal, he took refugee along with his private council to Bejapoor by Shahji Bhonsle, father of the great Chhatrapati. Later in 1659 Shivaji acquired Bejapoor and the private council thus entered into and continued in the Mahratta armies.[9]

In 1754 when Jaffer Ali Khan was dethroned he first formed allies with Vijayanagar zamindar and who later withdrew his force to favour the French, who bribed him. Thus Jaffer Ali Khan took the help of Mahrattas and they entered the country crossing ghats with 20,000 cavalry with the help of Bobbili Ranga rao. They burned down many villages of Vijayaramaraju and Vizianagaram, and also defeated him and plundered a lot of wealth and stayed in Rajahmundry, and nawab used to live in Raja veedhi. There is Merakaveedhi is side to it where main body of Mahrattas camped, and later they lost to French and stayed few days longer and vacated. But a sect of families who were a close-knit clan and were descendants of governors of the Vijayanagar dynasty came back in the year 1757 after the Bobbili Siege and occupied the Nawab fort of Rajahmundry. Even now one can find swords used back then. We can also notice that the people from these families call their fathers baba which is a Mahratta tradition, as well as many more traditions that can be observed from all the other telagas living in the country. Many names in these families are named after Nanaji, Baburao, Bajirao, and also many ladies were added with bhai, thus they married among themselves. Later they rose to power in the Military. They never wanted a Zamindari till 1784 when Nuzvid Zamindar Meka Apparao Naidu lost his Zamindari in Rajahmundry. Later in 1794, it was changed to Collectorate when Vogeti Apparao Naidu was given other estates to rule. Their Zamindari was considered to be one of the oldest Zamindari in Madras Presidency.[10] These Meraka Veedhi Telagas have prominent role in history and politics.[11] During mid-1800s in whole Rajahmundry there were only 1000 houses, of which 64 belonged to Vogetis.[12]

Vogeti Venkata Gopala Rama Krishnam Raju of Rajahmundry

He died in the year 1900 on which all the retail shop owners had closed their shops and gave condolences to the great soul.

• Tanguturi Prakasam