Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu

Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu was the Chief military commander of the famous Vijayanagar king Sri Krishnadevaraya. He was the grandson of Gandikota ruler Pemmasani Timmanayudu. Pemmasani Nayaks were a martial clan in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh [K. Iswara Dutt, Journal of Andhra Historical Research Society. Vol. 10, pp. 222-224] . They came into prominence during Vijayanagar times as rulers of Gandikota ["Rayavachakam" by Viswanatharaya Sthanapati (Telugu)] [Vijayanagara, Burton Stein, Cambridge University Press, 1989, p.88, ISBN 0521266939] . The Pemmasani warriors were previously serving Kakatiya dynasty as army commanders and migrated to Vijayanagar in 1370 CE after the downfall of Musunuri Nayaks in Warangal ["Kammavari Charitra" (in Telugu language) by K. B. Chowdary, 1939. Revised Edition, 2006, Pavuluri Publishers, Guntur,India ] .

Ramalinga's exploits during the battle of Raichur are most celebrated [Tidings of the king: a translation and ethnohistorical analysis of the Rayavachakamu by Phillip B. Wagoner. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1993, ISBN 0-8248-1495-9. (http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=62773998)] [Further Sources of Vijayanagar History, K. A. Nilakanta Sastry, 1946, (http://www.archive.org/details/FurtherSourcesOfVijayanagaraHistory)] [Journal of the Andhra Historical Society, 1930, p. 169] .

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