KARIMNAGAR, OCTOBER 05, 2026: The iconic Sri Raja Rajeshwara Government Arts and Science College in Karimnagar town – stated to be the first higher education institution in the north Telangana region – has been left reeling in a severely dilapidated condition, urging crying out for administrative intervention to restore its past glory and brilliance.
Celebrated its Platinum Jubilee (70 years), SRR College, the premier seat of higher learning, has faced infrastructural degradation, leaving its campus a shadow of its historic self. The college is presently lying in dilapidated condition, with old buildings ready to collapse, strewn garbage and litter all around the campus and shrubs and trees growing on the building walls.
The historic college has NCC and NSS units, but none accord priority to cleaning of their own campus in spite of conducting several Swachh Bharat campaigns. Ironically, the college NSS and NCC units participate in shramdhaan programmes in other areas, neglecting their own college where they are learning.
Established in the year 1956 with the support of philanthropists, who had donated the land for providing higher education to the students of the region. Initially, it was under private management, and later it was taken over by the government of Andhra Pradesh in the year 1959.
The then Chief Minister of Hyderabad State, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao and Higher Education Minister Justice Gopal Rao Ekbote’s foresight led to it being materialised, when higher education facilities were non-existent.
Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao was a member of the governing council of the college and was instrumental in the setting up of the SRR college with the support of SRR Devasthanam’s financial assistance and donations from the philanthropists.
Doyen of Telugu literature and winner of the Gnanpith Award, Vishwanatha Satyanarayana worked as the principal of this college. The college has the proud distinction of being headed by eminent academicians like Prof. I.V. Chalapathi Rao, Sri K.Y.L. Narasimha Rao, etc had contributed their might for the growth and development of the college.
Minister for Transport and BC Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar was an alumnus of the college, and he launched his political career from this college as a student union leader from NSUI. Besides, several other politicians and academicians were alumni of the college and excelled in their respective fields.
Ironically, neither the college management nor the alumni association of the district administration is taking any measures to bring back the past glory to the historic college.
People from various walks of life, who visited the college to exercise their franchise for the Indian Red Cross Society, Karimnagar district unit elections on Sunday, have expressed their ire against the college management for the poor conditions of the college premises, with litter all around and shrubs. The alumnus of the college are conducting social service programmes in other places, but they have forgotten their own college, where they have learned to give a facelift to the ancient college.
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