: Anyone who wants to know the authentic history of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana right from 5000 BC to AD 1990, he or she can read the eight volumes of “Comprehensive History of Culture of Andhra Pradesh” brought out by The Andhra Pradesh History Congress (APHC).

Over 250 historians, economists, litterateurs and artists were involved in the 16-year project to bring out the volumes, including the one on Telangana, both in Telugu and English. The 1096-page eighth volume on “Contemporary History of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana AD 1956 to 1990s”, which is the last in the series, is being released here on Friday.

“In 1998, I retired and in 1999 started the work on this project. It is a long journey and I have grown with it. At the end, we have completed our job to our satisfaction”, Prof. V. Ramakrishna, historian and General editor of the series, told The Hindu.

The project, stated to be the first of its kind in the country, has been supported by the Dravidian University at Kuppam, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Indian Council of Historical Research and some philanthropists. It involved an expenditure of around Rs 30 lakh.

According APHC, the series are coordinated by a Volume Editor, General Editor, Working Editor and a Coordinating Executive Editor. The methodology adopted in preparing the volumes is based on the twin pillars of collection of the most recent, authenticated and verifiable material from original and secondary sources, and interpretation of this data along scientific and rational lines.

An advisory board of eminent historians is also stated to have been constituted to oversee the preparation and publication of the series. Each chapter in the series have extensive bibiliography.

Commenting on the latest volume, Prof Ramakrishna said that though the period of the volume was less than half a century, it was crowded with myriad issues and problems in the politico-socio-economic, literary and cultural arenas.

Explaining why they have taken 1990 as the cut-off period and not beyond, he said historians normally would not write about the most recent history as there could be a scope for controversy. This apart, the required data was available only up to 1990-91.

APHC is now planning to reduce these eight volumes into three or four and try to approach all educational institutions and libraries in both the states so as to ensure that they are available to the public, particularly students.