Kolachalam Venkata Rao (28 February 1850 – 28 December 1931) was a freedom fighter and social reformer of Madras Presidency.
He was one of the guests to attend the Coronation ceremony of King Edward VII which took place in Westminster Abbey, London on 9 August 1902.
Kolachalam Venkata Rao took charge as The Chairman of Bellary Municipality and rendered services, helping the poor with basic needs.
He was closely associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Dadabhai Naoroji, Kandukuri Veeresalingam,[6][7] Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu[8] and several other national leaders.
He was a benefactor to the Transvaal deportees[2] Remarriage of widows was not appreciated in the society during those days but Venkata Rao opposed this by quoting verses from the Hindu Dharma shastra to prove his point.
[2] In 1889 he arranged three widow remarriages, which had triggered the orthodox society who then decided to boycott him and stop taking part in his freedom activities.