Tenneti Viswanadham

Tenneti Viswanadham (Telugu : టెన్నేటి విశ్వనాధం) (1896-1979) was a political figure from Visakhapatnam, on the east coast of India. He took part in the freedom movement. He was responsible for the establishment of a steel plant at Visakhapatnam. He was a freedom fighter, former Law, Endowments and Revenue minister.

Born at Lakkavaram in Visakhapatnam district in 1895. Inspired by Gandhiji, he joined the Freedom Struggle and participated in the salt satyagraha and the Quit India movement. He went to jail five times prior to independence.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 served as the Minister for Finance and Law for Andhra State after the state was carved out of Madras Presidency.

He breathed his last in 1979

A Five Rupee stamp in his name was released on 10th November 2005 by Mr S.K. Chakrabarti, the Post-Master General.

The city of Visakhapatnam shows its affection to this gentle giant in several ways.
° There is a park named Tenneti Park in Visakhapatnam in his remembrance.
° There are two bronze statues erected in his memory. First, one statue was erected right in the heart of town at Jagadamba Junction. Subsequently another was erected in the Steel Plant 'Ukkunagaram' township. One statue was unveiled by the then ruling President of India, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, and the other was unveiled by the then ruling Prime Minister of India, PV Narasimha Rao.
° The Municipal Corporation building is called 'Tenneti Bhavanam'.

NOTE :
1. A brochure released by the postal department on the occasion gives a brief sketch of Tenneti's life.
2. The first-ever elections held to the legislatures in 1931.