Warangal Stands Divided Over Renaming Of Mamunur Airport

The names under discussion include Rani Rudramadevi, Chakali Ailamma, Sarvai Papanna Goud, Sammakka-Sarakka, Prataparudra, Prof. Jayashankar and P.V. Narasimha Rao. A section of local residents, however, has sought retention of the Mamunur name.

“If Rudramadevi is to be honoured, why erase a name that is locally linked to her daughter Mummidamma?” is the question being raised locally.

According to accounts of those who have researched local history, Mamunur is believed to have derived its name from Mummidamma, said to be the daughter of Rani Rudramadevi. They contend that Mummidamma underwent changes in usage over time before becoming Mamunur.

Noted litterateur and Mamunur native Ganta Ramireddy said sculptures at an ancient temple in Mamunur village provide a historical backdrop to the claim. He said the sculptural features bear similarities to those found in Kakatiya monuments such as Warangal Fort and the Thousand Pillar Temple.

Mamunur has also been associated with Warangal’s aviation history for nearly a century. Local historians say land acquisition for the airport was taken up during the reign of the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, in the early 1930s and completed by 1934. Mamunur subsequently emerged as an aviation centre in the erstwhile Hyderabad State.

The Mamunur name continued after Independence. Local residents recall that the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, arrived at Mamunur Airport during the inauguration of the REC in Warangal and travelled to the city by road. The airport was also associated with visits by Indira Gandhi and several other prominent personalities.

“The Nizam did not change it.. Independent India did not change it for nearly 80 years.. So why change it now?” This is the question being raised by residents seeking retention of the name. They argue that Mamunur has become part of Warangal’s identity and that the revival of the airport does not necessarily require its renaming.

Those favouring retention of the name say Mamunur is part of the collective memory of the Warangal region and its aviation history. They have suggested that the existing name could be preserved while also recognising the historical significance of Rani Rudramadevi.

Suggestions have also been made to showcase the region’s history as part of the airport’s modernisation. These include setting up a Kakatiya heritage gallery, a Mamunur aviation history museum and a section on the claimed historical connection between Rudramadevi and Mummidamma on the airport premises.

Such initiatives, according to those supporting the proposal, could allow the airport to retain the Mamunur identity while documenting its links with the Kakatiya period, the Nizam era and post-Independence aviation history.