Andhra Maha Sabha and Andhra Mahila Sabha were started in 1930. Andhra Maha Sabha conducted 13 Maha Sabhas and 10 Mahila Sabhas. These Mahila Sabhas simultaneously had the privilege of having the leadership of prominent women, such as Nadimpalli Sundaramma, Tanguturi Varalakshmamma, Yellapragada Sithakumari, Madapati Manikyamba, Burgula Ananta Laxmidevi, Nandagiri Indira Devi, Yogyasheela Devi, and Rangamma Obul Reddy, etc. Several resolutions about women welfare and women’s education were taken in these Mahila Sabhas and sent to the Nizam.
The Nizam Government issued a farman allowing widow remarriage. This might be the first farman of the social reforms in Nizam’s State. Later in 1940, the 18th Andhra Mahila Sabha was convened at Chilkur. In this, the president Rangamma Obul Reddy gave a call to women to come out of purdah and stop child marriage. Pulijala Kamala Bai, the Secretary, emphasized that the women’s movement should be led by women only.
Most of the members of Andhra Mahila Sabha were from middle and upper-class families with a nationalist spirit. They took up issues pertaining to women’s education, abolition of prostitution, purdah, and women’s remarriages, etc. Often these issues aroused resentment from conservative sections within the organization and people outside. During the 3rd conference of Andhra Mahila Sabha held at Khammam, conflict took place between the reformists and the opponents who branded themselves as the protectors of Hindu Dharma. In the year 1937, Maharashtra and Karnataka Parishads started their own platforms.
All India Women’s Conference was started in 1945 under the leadership of Prameela Tai. Members of the Conference were Mankumari Chowrasia, Jaduav Behen, Gita Devi, Leela Devi Dangoria, Yashodha Devi, etc. They were drawn from various linguistic groups. Another organization, Andhra Yuvati Mandali, was started in 1935 at Hyderabad by Yellapragada Seetha Kumari and Illendula Sraswathi to discuss women’s problems. They also started schools and Sisu Vihars. This organization also worked for the promotion of women’s education.
The consciousness of Muslim women in Hyderabad was reflected in a number of such organizations. Suegra Humayun Mirza started Anjuman-e-Khavateen-e-Deccan in 1895. The primary objectives of this organization were to help poor women and widows to earn their livelihood and remove social evils. Lady Hyderi started the Hyderabad Ladies Club, which also worked for solving women’s problems. In Nizam’s State, educational opportunities for women were limited. However, Nizam VI and VII provided many opportunities for women in the city.
In the year 1934, All Hyderabad Students Union was started by organizing people from various organizations. During those days, women students used to attend classes in Osmania sitting behind chilman (Purdah). Three women students joined the executive: Shakuntala as Secretary, Susheela as Treasurer, and Padma as a member of the Executive Committee.
