Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

When Appalla Someswara Sarma was the Head Pundit at the Simhachalam Sanskrit School, Lord Wavell, the then Governor-General of India, visited the school in April 1943. The Vizianagaram Estate Collector, K.A. Anantharaman, accompanied the Governor-General. "Anantharaman introduced me to Wavell and the latter shook hands with me," he recalls.

Wavell had come to Visakhapatnam for a first hand information of the damage caused to the Visakhapatnam Harbour as a result of the Japanese bombing during World War II on April 2, 1942.

Someswara Sarma also shared the dais with the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when the latter came to the city for commissioning the first ship built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, `Jala Usha’, in 1948. Vedic scholars were taken to HSL from Simhachalam to conduct puja on the auspicious occasion and being the Head Pundit, Someswara Sarma was given a chair next to the Prime Minister.

Till about 15 years ago, an old dilapidated bungalow on the Beach Road was referred to as the Dutch Bungalow by the locals. This building was occupied by various families till the late 1970s. During the 1980s the bungalow was alienated to VUDA for development.

Initially it was intended to convert the building to a hotel. But after a spirited campaign by the founding members of Visakha Historical Society and other senior citizens the plan was shelved.

After the renovation work the Municipal Corporation purchased the building from VUDA and the Visakha Museum was established in it.

The museum was inaugurated on October 8, 1991, by the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Janardhan Reddy. (Plus People)

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

---

---