- Charles Philip Brown popularly known as C.P. Brown, who was the ‘Father of Telugu renaissance’ of Telugu language and literature, started his official career as an Assistant to the District Collector of Cuddapah by East India Company in 1820.He purchased a garden of 15 Acres including a Bunglow for a price of three thousand varahas (A Varaha was equal to four rupees in those days) to serve the Telugu Literature.Present day C.P. Brown Research Centre for Languages emerged from the ruins of the erstwhile famous Bunglow which buzzed with Telugu literary activity.
- C.P. Brown Research Project was started in Sri Venkateswara University in 1974 as a part of Telugu studies. This Research wing was headed by Prof. G.N. Reddy, while Bangore (Bandi Gopala Reddy) a research scholar conducted his work under his guidance and supervision. These two researchers could get scores of hand-written manuscripts which ran into thousands of pages 20 volumes of letters each volume containing 400 letters, from London.
- For running this mammoth project the State Government extended just a token grant of Rs.15,000/- . During the period of 1974 -1977 Sri Venkateswara University published four books relating to Brown’s work namely Brown’s letters, Andhra Geervaana Chandamu (Reprint) pieces of Local History in Brown’s letters and compilation of Cuddapah letters and Literary Autobiography of C.P. Brown.
- As a part of their research work Prof. G.N. Reddy and Bangore visited Cuddapah several times, based on the readers prepared by Brown and Literary Autobiography of Brown, they could locate the Bunglow where Brown lived during his stay at Cuddapah from the ruins. They met Dr. P.L.Sanjeeva Reddy the then District Collector, Cuddapah and requested help to construct a Library on the same spot where Brown conducted his unparallel work, as his sacred memory. Dr.Arudra supported their plea. Dr.P.L.Sanjeeva Reddy was successful in getting 20 cents of land as donation from the then holder of land Sri C.R. Krishna Swamy. He entrusted the construction work to Dr.Mallemala Venu Gopala Reddy and Janamaddi Hanumath Sastri, who were president and secretaries of Cuddapah District writers’ association respectively at that time.
- Since 1976, the secretary Hanumath sastri appealed to Government for financial help several times. During 1986 the C.P. Brown Memorial Trust was formed with C.K. Sampath Kunmar (Son of C.P. Krishna Swamy the donor of the land as president, District Collector (Ex-officio) as Chief Patron and Hanumath Sastri as secretary. During January 1987 Jandhyala Harinarayana took charge as the District Collector. He was kind enough to release a grant to the tune of Rs.3.5 lakhs from the funds of ‘Grameena Kranthi Patham’. The foundation stone laying ceremony was conducted on 22nd January, 1987 for the Library building under the chairmanship of Dr. Puttaparthi Narayanacharyulu. G. Krishna Murthy, Chairman of Cuddapah Town Development Authority donated an amount of Rs. 43,000/- as first installment from the authority’s funds. The construction of the main building started at a quicker pace. After six months due to paucity of funds the construction work had to be stopped for few months. A.K. Parida who assumed charge as the new collector sanctioned Rs.60,000/- from Kasturba Gandhi Centenary fund. Some philanthropists of Proddatur also donated considerable amounts. The High School students of Kadapa and Proddatur towns collected at the rate one rupee per student and donated a handsome amount of Rs.26,000/-. The help rendered by the District Educational Officer Dr. Satyanarayana and the Regional Director of School Education Sri M. Ramaswamy Reddy in motivating the students in raising this contribution was highly commendable. The compound wall of the main building was constructed with the help of Collector Smt. Chandana Khan, Dr. P. Subrahmanyam and some philanthropists. Similarly the main entrance door was set with the financial help rendered by Sankati Narasimha Reddy.
- Sri Polepalli Venganna Sreshti, a resident of Valluru village near Kadapa started a Library in 1927 named Sitaramachandra Grandha Bhandagaram. As he could not manage his library due to old age he donated 2,500 books of his Library to the C.P. Brown Memorial Library. In course of time institutions like Visalandhra Vignana Samithi, Andhra University, Vavilla Rama swamy Sastri & sons, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Theosophical Society of Varanasi and like other institutions donated quite a good number of books. Similarly individual book lovers like Dr. Challa Radhakrishna Sharma, Dr. Sardesai Tirumala Rao, Dr. Puttaparthy Narayanacharyulu, Dr. Bejawada Gopala Reddy, C. Anna Rao,Dr. Kongara Jaggaiah, Dr. Pothuri Venkateswara Rao, Dr. Dwana Sastri, Nagasuri Venugopal, Prof. Biruduraju Rama Raju, Sri.Koduru Sri.Pulla Reddy, Sri.K.Janardana, Prof. Samantakamani,Chennai, Sri. S. Jayarami Reddy, Anantapur, Smt. Malati Chendur, Chennai, Sri Gangi Reddy, Nandyal have also donated their libraries at the later stage. Jiddu Krishnamurthy Foundation, Ananda Budha Vihara Trust, Chinmaya Mission, Telugu Academi were some more institutions which have magnanimously donated their books. Many writers and research scholars also donated valuable books. The C.P. Brown Trust could raise a corpus fund to the tune of Rs.5 lakhs for the management of the library with the generous help extended by officers like Sri. K.V. Ramanachari, District Collector , Sri. K. Jayabharata Reddy (son of Kadapa Koti Reddy) Chief Secretary of the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and Sri. J. Sridhara Sharma, Secretary, Education.
- During 1998 with the financial assistance extended by Sri. A. Giridhar,I.A.S. Joint Collector and Sri. V. Nagi Reddy, I.A.S. his successor a spacious conference hall was built in the first floor. Three researchers rooms were constructed with the help of Dr. B. Sreeramamurthy, Dr. Kanaparthi Radha Krishna and A. Gangi Reddy, Principal who donated Rs.25,000/- each. The proprietor of Regency Ceramics Dr.G.N. Naidu donated in kind by way of ceramic tiles worth Rs.75,000/-, The Director General of Police Sri H.J. Dora I.P.S. and District Superintendent of Police Sri Govind Singh I.P.S. gifted chairs and tables worth of Rs. 50,000/- . An amount of Rs.1,50,000/- was received from Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, Calcutta in three installments for procuring books and furniture. Prof. C. Adi Naryana Reddy and his wife Smt. Sashikala donated Rs.50,000/- to in fond memory of their late daughter Sumabala Reddy. With this amount the children’s wing of C.P. Brown Library was started which was named after Sumabala. Padmabhushan Dr. C. Narayana Reddy, Jnanapeeth Awardee & Rajyasabha Member extended a generous donation of Rs.10,00,000 from his M.P. Funds. With this hefty amount Dr.C. Narayana Reddy Research Centre was started in the second floor. For this Research Centre Dr. Takkolu Machi Reddy, Retired Director of Aakashavani, Kadapa and his wife Dr. P. Sanjeevamma (Retired Principal) liberally donated Rs.50,000/-, Dr. C.Narayana Reddy inaugurated the Research Centre on 9th November, 2003.
- At present the Research Centre for Languages is in possession of 40,000 books in Telugu, 20,000 in English, 5,000 in Hindi, 500 in Sanskrit, 250 in Kannada, 250 in Tamil, 50 in Urdu all put together 66,050 books. The Research Centre shelves 2,440 souvenirs and 500 books in children’s wing. It obtained copies of 42 volumes of Meckenzie’s Kaifiyats from the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library of Madras. The Research Centre also procured copies of 17 volumes of C.P. Brown’s works brought out by Sri Venkateswara University. Mr. J.P.L. Gwynn, I.C.S.who was in Andhra Pradesh Government’s service went back to his Homeland, Britain, after retirement. He sent from London the very first editions of Telugu-English, English –Telugu Dictionaries compiled by C.P. Brown, the Telugu-English Dictionary (having Telugu letters in English scripts) compiled by Galletti, Collector and the Telugu -English Dictionary compiled by himself (1991 publication). Besides Mr. Gwynn sent Rs.1116/- as his personal contribution. The C.P.Brown Research Centre for Languages has a prestigious collection of following volumes in its Reference and Research wing. Over sixty dictionaries of Telugu, English, Sanskrit, and Urdu languages, more than 30 volumes of different Encyclopedias, besides 30 volumes of Encyclopedia Britannica, five volumes of the books ‘Castes and Tribes of India’, 80 bounds of the journal of Andhra Sahitya Parishat, 100 volumes of Gandhian Literature, Amudrita Grandha Chitamani, 4 volumes of ‘Samadarshini’ of 1928, the handwritten manuscript of literary giants like Janamanchi, Puttaparthi, Diwakarla Venkatavadhani, Durbhaka Rajasekhara Shatavadhani, 50 books on Brown related literature, books of Vemana’s poems, books relating to Criticism, Novels, Poetry, Biographies, Story compilation, 300 books of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda literature books of History, Politics etc., besides 180 palm leave manuscripts. The Research Centre also is in possession of one time popular journal like Heritage, Imprint, Span, American Review, Ugadi Special Issues of Andhrapatrika, Andrhaprabha, Bharati etc., The Research Centre has volumes relating to the Epigraphs of Cuddapah District, District Gazetteers and books relating Astrology and Hymns (Mantras). An exclusive text books wing is available for the use of students.
- The C.P. Brown Research Centre for Languages subscribes to 100 Daily, Weeklies, Fortnightlies, Monthlies and other periodicals and also Deccan Studies. Books, magazines, periodicals and material useful for the students appearing for the competitive exams is equipped by the Research Centre. The Centre procured latest equipment such as computers, Xerox machine, Fax, Internet and Scanner. With the financial help extended by the National Archives the C.P. Brown Trust published in 2002 the first volume of Cuddapah District Meckenzie Kaifiyats and 7 volumes are published by November and latter published an other 6 volumes. The Potti Sreeramulu Telugu university and State Library gave recognition to the C.P. Brown Library Research Centre.
- Until the Government took over the complete administration of the library in 2005, the money that was spent for the development and the maintenance of the library was only from the Government and the voluntary organizations and the donors.
- In 2005 Government of Andhra Pradesh sanctioned Rs.15lakhs as annual grant to C.P. Brown Library, later in 2006 it has been enhanced to Rs. 30 lakhs .
- On 1st October 2005, the C.P. Brown Memorial Trust was dissolved. After taking over the maintenance of the library, the Government gave the responsibility of maintaining it to the S.V.University authorities. The library was taken over by the Yogi Vemana University authorities on 1st November 2006.
- The trust continued to maintain the library since 1990, eventually changed the name of the library to C.P. Brown Language Literature Regional Research Centre. Later the institution initiated editing and printing of the Mackenzie Kaifiyaths.
- Later the library was handed over to the Yogi Vemana University Authorities and it was renamed as C.P. Brown Research Centre for Languages.
Collection of Books for Library :
An Overview of Features and Specialities of the C.P. Brown Research Centre for Languages:
FUNDS AND ITS DEVELOPMENT :
SCHOLARS UTILISED C.P.B.R.C.L FOR THEIR DOCTORAL RESEARCH WORK
| S.No | Name of the Researcher | Addrees | Title of Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr.Moola Mallikarjuna Reddy | Assistant Professor Dept of Fine arts,Yogi Vemana University , Kadapa | SRI VEERABRAHMENDRA SWAAMY TAATWIKA DAARSHANIKATHA |
| 2 | Dr. Moole Ramamuni Reddy | Retd. Telugu Pandit Proddatur | KADAPAZILLA BHAJANAPAATALU - OKA PARISEELANA |
| 3 | Dr.Bhutapury Gopala Krishna Sastry | Jr.Research Assistant,C.P.Brown Research Centre for Languages, YVU, Kadapa | GADIYAARAMVAARI CHAARITRAKA KAAVYAALU |
| 4 | Dr.R. Rajeswaramma | Assoiate professor,Dept of Telugu,S.V.University, Tirupati | KADAPAZILLA KATHA SAAHITHYAM – PARISIILANA |
| 5 | Dr. Lakshmirama Naik | Deputy Registrar.S.K.University,Anantapuram | MAASEEMA PATRIKAA SAAHITYAM – OKA ADHYAYANAM |
| 6 | Dr. M.Parvathi | Teacher,Housing Board Colony,Kadapa | RAAYALASEEMA KATHALLOO RAITHU CHITRANA |
| 7 | Dr.R.Satyanarayana | Teacher,Housing Board Colony,Kadapa | SRI BHUTHAPURI SUBRAHMANYA SHARMA GAARI SRIKRISHNABHAARATAM–SAMAGRA PARISEELANA |
| 8 | Dr. Khaja | Hyderabad | TELUGU URDU KATHAANIKALLO MUSLIM JEEVITHA CHITRANA |
| 9 | Sri P.Nagaraju | ResearchScholar,Department of Telugu,YVU, Kadapa | KADAPAZILLA BHAJANAPAATALU - OKA PARISEELANA |
| 10 | Sri T. Venkataiah | Research Scholar,Department of Telugu,YVU, Kadapa | RAYALASIIMA KATHAANIKA THOLIDASA (1918-1980)- OKA PARISIILANA |
| 11 | Dr. G. RaviKumar | Research Scholar,Department of Telugu,YVU, Kadapa | RAYALASIIMA ADHUNIKA PADYA KAVITHYAM- OKA PARISIILANA |
| 12 | Dr. Kalavathi | Retd. Lecturer,Proddatur | |
| 13 | Sri C.Siva Reddy | Jr.Research Assistant,C.P.Brown Research Centre for Languages, YVU, Kadapa | SVUORI’S CONTRIBUTION TO SANSKRIT LITERATURE |
| 14 | Sri. Rajasekhar | Teacher, Rishivalley school Madanapalli | |
| 15 | Kumr. C. Lalitha | Research Scholar,Department of Telugu,YVU, Kadapa |
Morning from 9a.m. to 12 a.m.
Evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday is weekly holiday.
At present the Life membership fee is Rs.500/- . Currently 650 members have enrolled for life membership.