Formed in June 2014, Telangana is the 29th and the youngest state of India. Telangana turns four on June 2, 2018, and the state government is busy with the preparations for making the Formation Day a memorable event.

The Telangana struggle began in the year 1955 when Hyderabad was recommended to retain as a separate state, but the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) moved past the suggestion.

Telangana leaders went on to accuse the people of Andhra of colonising the region by grabbing their lands and jobs. In 1956, Telangana merged with Andhra on November 1 to form a united state for the Telugu-speaking population called Andhra Pradesh.

In 1969, a separate Telangana agitation arose where social groups, students and government employees took part in the protests against the government. The stir led to the tragic loss of 369 students who were killed when the police opened fire.

Following the agitations, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi formulated a six-point agenda that focused on preferential treatment to local candidates in employment as well as accelerated development of backward regions in the state.

BJP came in support for separate Telangana state in 1997 and followed the promise of ‘One Vote Two States’ in the subsequent year elections.

However, K Chandrasekhar Rao's launch of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in 2001 intensified the push for Telangana movement. Telangana movement ideologue the late Professor  Jayashanker hugely supported Chandrashekar Rao and guided the movement initially.

Karimnagar which emerged to be the centre stage for the Telangana agitations had KCR contest as an MP from the district in 2004. Even in 2009, Karimnagar was the main stage for the Telangana statehood movement with the TRS President deciding to take up a fast-unto-death protest demanding Telangana.

However, KCR who was on his way to launch the fast was arrested by the police in Siddipet town, and that led to mass protests with several youngsters committing suicide for the cause.

Mr Rao continued his fast-unto-death while in a hospital, and subsequently, the Union Government announced the formation of separate Telangana State on December 9, 2009. But the Centre backtracked on the statehood issue on December 23, 2009, after violent protests occurred immediately after the announcement by people in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

Meanwhile, with the Centre backing out on the issue, 17 students launched a fast-unto-death in front of the Osmania University campus, Hyderabad. Student activists continued their protests along with political leaders, and the struggle continued in Hyderabad and other districts of Telangana. The movement claimed hundreds of lives in suicides, strikes and disturbances to public life.

Following the continuing agitations, the Congress Working Committee unanimously passed a resolution on 30 July 2013 to recommend the formation of a separate Telangana state, and the cabinet approved the bill in December 2013.

After various stages, the bill was passed by the Parliament of India in February 2014 paving the way for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana State with ten districts from north-western AP. On March 1, 2014, the President gave the consent and published in the Gazette.

Telangana was officially formed on June 2, 2014, with K Chandrashekar Rao elected as the first chief minister of the state with TRS securing a majority of the votes in the elections.

Hyderabad was accorded as the joint capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a period of 10 years.