Madhira

Madhira is a municipality situated in the Khammam district of the Indian state of Telangana, falling within the Madhira Assembly Constituency. It is the headquarters of Madhira mandal of Khammam division and is positioned approximately east of the state capital, Hyderabad. Additionally, it is situated from the district headquarters of Khammam and is bordered by Andhra Pradesh on three sides.

== History == Early Administration and Nizam Era (1900–1948) During the Asaf Jahi (Nizam) rule, Madhira served as a strategic Taluk headquarters within the Warangal Subah (Province). As a judicial and revenue hub, the town housed key administrative institutions, including a Munsif Magistrate Court and a Tahsildar Office, which governed dozens of surrounding villages. The region was a focal point for the Nizam government’s agricultural modernization efforts. A significant infrastructure project from this era is the Wyra Reservoir, constructed by the Public Works Department (P.W.D.) between 1929 and 1930. Official expenditure records from the time list the project cost at ₹34.83 Lakhs. The reservoir was designed to irrigate approximately 17,390 acres across 24 villages in the Madhira and Bonakal areas, significantly altering the agricultural landscape. Feudal System and Landlords The socio-economic structure of Madhira during this period was characterized by the Jagirdari and Deshmukh systems. The Kalluru Deshmukh family was the paramount feudal authority in the taluk, with historical records estimating their control over nearly 100,000 acres of land in the region. At the village level, administration was controlled by hereditary officials known as Vatandars (Patels and Patwaris), who acted as local rulers. These landlords resided in fortified mansions known as Gadis and enforced the Vetti system (forced labor). Villagers, including the neighboring communities of Madhira and the peasantry of Yerrupalem, were often subjected to unpaid labor and illegal levies (Nagadi) by these local chiefs. Role in Indian Independence and Telangana Rebellion Madhira is historically cited as a "land of freedom fighters" and was one of the earliest strongholds of the Telangana Rebellion.