Sava Tekelija (Serbian: Сава Текелија) (1761–1842) was the first Serbian doctor of law, the founder of the Tekelijanum, president of the Matica srpska, philanthropist, noble, and merchant.

[1] Born in Arad in the Habsburg monarchy (today in Romania) Tekelija studied at a Serb elementary school, went to a Buda Gymnasium, and studied law in Vienna and Budapest.

[2] He finished his studies in 1785, and became the first Serb doctor of law (doctor juris) a year later.

He was elected lifetime president of Matica srpska in 1838.

[3]