Andhra Pradesh is the third largest state in India with an area of 275,000 sq. km. A state in the southern region of India, Andhra Pradesh is bordered on the south by Tamil Nadu state, on the west by Karnataka state, on the north and northwest by Maharashtra state, on the northeast by Madhya Pradesh and Orissa states, and on the east by the Bay of Bengal. The northern area of Andhra Pradesh is mountainous. The climate is generally hot and humid. Annual rainfall is 125 cm. The Krishna and The Godavari are the major river systems in the state.

Andhra Pradesh has a very rich cultural background. Historians date life in the area to the Palaeolithic age of some 3,00,000 years ago. Of course, recorded history points to existence of societies as early as the sixth century BC in the Krishna and Godavari valleys. From such a background emerges the modern day Andhra Pradesh, on the forefront not just alphabetically. Its people are achievers who display a rare hospitality and courtesy. The State is today on the top internationally in regard to information technology and its capital Hyderabad has metamorphosed into one of the best cities in the country. Starting with a purely Andhra or Telugu culture, the people of the State have over the years imbibed the graces of Persian and Turkish cultures brought in by Muslim rulers. A confluence of such cultures has created an exclusive ‘Deccani’ culture that combines hospitality, grace, appreciation of beauty and a passion to excel.

It is this driving passion that has brought the State to the foremost position today. It already has valuable gifts that nature has endowed it with — a long coastline bordered by clean beaches; hills, forests and a meteorologically and socially pleasant climate. It is not for nothing that global investors have found Andhra Pradesh ideal for setting up their units. International IT giants were among the first to be taken in by the Hi-tec City near Hyderabad and its environs that form Cyberabad — the IT destination.

Urbanisation of what was known as Andhra Desa covering almost all the present Andhra Pradesh, the Deccan Plateau and peninsular India started as early as the sixth century BC and this is borne out by the accounts of Megasthenes, Greek ambassador in the court of Chandragupta Maurya, in the third century BC. Megasthenes recorded the existence of as many as 30 fortified towns in the region.

It was during this period that Buddhism and Jainism vied with the already established Brahmanism. But it was after the second Buddhist council in 380 BC that Andhra Desa became a Buddhist stronghold with Dhanyakataka, today’s Amaravati in Guntur district, as its centre. After the fall of the Mauryan empire, the Satavahanas, who had accepted the suzerainty of the Mauryas, united as a single race. Their empire was vast and spread over the peninsula. The rulers were followers of Brahmanism, but the womenfolk practised Buddhism. It was during this period that Buddhism spread from these shores to China, the Far East and to Sri Lanka. The Amaravati school of art developed into a distinctive style. The Satavahanas proclaimed themselves Dakshinapathapatis – monarchs of the South.