s inaugurated in temporary premises at Bezawada in the year 1926 by Lord Goschen, the first Chancellor. Goschen was the Governor of Madras Presidency from April 1924 to June 1929. He was succeeded by Lord Erskine who was in the chair up to March 1940 except for a brief interregnum from 18-06-1936 to 01-10-1936. During this period Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu was the Governor and ex-officio Chancellor of Andhra University. Reddy Naidu was also the Chief Minister of the state for a little over three months in 1937. In April 1942, his son Kurma Venugopalaswamy was appointed the Registrar of Andhra University which post he held till his retirement in February 1964. Thus a father and son occupied high positions associated with the Andhra University, a rare phenomenon in the annals of this university. The younger Kurma took active interest in amateur theatre and it was due to his efforts,the Department of Theatre Arts was es.