Kapu (caste) - Revision history

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Ajay Kumar: Included a reliable source for verification.

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	\|religions=[[Hinduism]]		\|religions=[[Hinduism]]
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	'''Kapu''' is a [[Hindus\|Hindu]] caste primarily found in the Indian state of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. They are classified as a [[Forward caste]].{{Refn\|<ref name=SPI>{{Cite book \|last1=Reddi \|first1=Agarala Easwara \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vaxxeoPUuqsC&pg=PA339 \|title=State Politics in India: Reflections on Andhra Pradesh \|last2=Ram \|first2=D. Sundar \|date=1994 \|publisher=M. D. Publications \|isbn=978-81-85880-51-8 \|pages=339 \|language=en \|quote=The Kapus, concentrated in Guntur, Krishna, West and East Godavari districts are listed among the forward castes. In Rayalaseema districts they are known as Balijas.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Guhan \|first=Sanjivi \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J1_uAAAAIAAJ&q=Kapu \|title=India's Development Experience: Selected Writings of S. Guhan \|date=2001 \|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] \|isbn=978-0-19-565523-0 \|pages=204 \|language=en \|quote=In Andhra Pradesh, the forward castes (mainly Brahmins, Kapu, and Kamma) ....}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Jaffrelot \|first1=Christophe \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78rfCgAAQBAJ \|title=Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies \|last2=Kumar \|first2=Sanjay \|date=2012-05-04 \|publisher=[[Routledge]] \|isbn=978-1-136-51662-7 \|pages=280 \|language=en \|quote=The Forward Castes comprise the Brahmin, Kapus, Kamma, Reddys, Komati, Kshatriya, Velama. \|author-link=Christophe Jaffrelot}}</ref><ref name=CoI71/><ref name=Singh-1992/><ref name=MIDS/><ref name=Gudavarthy/>\|name=FC-K}} They are a community of land-owning agriculturists.{{Refn\|<ref name=CoI61/><ref name=EnH/><ref name="MIDS"/><ref name=CIS>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XuUDAQAAIAAJ&q=Kapu \|title=Contributions to Indian Sociology \|date=1990 \|publisher=Mouton \|volume=24 \|pages=37 \|language=en \|issue=1}}</ref><ref name=CRRID>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qwnsAAAAMAAJ \|title=Man & Development \|date=1991 \|publisher=Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development \|volume=13 \|pages=68 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Rao \|first=Y. V. Krishna \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6R_tAAAAMAAJ \|title=Peasant Farming and Growth of Capitalism in Indian Agriculture \|date=1984 \|publisher=Visalaandhra Publishing House \|pages=280 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Mukherjee \|first1=S. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bO4aqix_0qkC&dq=Kapus+land-owning&pg=PA308 \|title=Political Science Annual 1996 \|last2=Ramaswamy \|first2=S. \|date=1996 \|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications \|isbn=978-81-7100-833-9 \|pages=308 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Gudavarthy/>\|name=LO-K}} Historically, they have also been warriors in Hindu armies.{{Refn\|name=wm}}<ref name="Sarma-1946" />{{Sfn\|Kantha Rao\|1999\|p=50, 59, 66}} They are one of the [[Dominant caste\|dominant castes]] of Andhra Pradesh.{{Refn\|<ref name="EnH">{{Cite book \|last=Gundemeda \|first=Nagaraju \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mitQBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103 \|title=Education and Hegemony: Social Construction of Knowledge in India in the Era of Globalisation \|date=2014-10-02 \|publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing \|isbn=978-1-4438-6830-3 \|pages=103, XV \|language=en \|quote=.... belongs to the Hindu upper (landed) caste Kapu, one of the dominant castes in coastal Andhra Pradesh.}}</ref><ref name=IJAE>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PjBHAAAAYAAJ&q=Telaga+dominant+caste \|title=The Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics \|date=2000 \|publisher=Indian Society of Agricultural Economics \|volume=55 \|pages=707 \|language=en \|quote=In Andhra Pradesh, at the state level, one might mention a few castes such as Reddy, Velama, Kamma, Raju, Kapu / Telaga / Balija castes as the dominant (cultivator) castes.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Shastri \|first1=Sandeep \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tCVGEAAAQBAJ&dq=kapu&pg=PT207 \|title=Electoral Dynamics in the States of India \|last2=Kumar \|first2=Ashutosh \|last3=Sisodia \|first3=Yatindra Singh \|date=2021-11-22 \|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] \|isbn=978-1-000-47697-2 \|language=en \|quote=..... and all of them were contested against the dominant caste candidates like Reddy, Kamma, Kapu, etc.}}</ref><ref name=UNU>{{Cite book \|last=Kuczyński \|first=Janusz \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jUGWAAAAIAAJ \|title=Perspectives on Contemporary Youth \|date=1988 \|publisher=[[United Nations University]] \|isbn=978-92-808-0643-4 \|pages=253 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=CIS/><ref name=CRRID/><ref name="Srinivasulu-2002" /><ref>{{Cite journal \|last=Gundimeda \|first=Sambaiah \|date=2009 \|title=Dalits, Praja Rajyam Party and Caste Politics in Andhra Pradesh \|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40279035 \|journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] \|volume=44 \|issue=21 \|pages=50–58 \|jstor=40279035 \|issn=0012-9976}}</ref><ref name=Gudavarthy/><ref>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HxNuAAAAMAAJ&q=kapu \|title=South Asian Studies \|date=2001 \|publisher=Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan \|isbn=978-81-7304-377-2 \|pages=249, 252, 255 \|language=en \|issue=36}}</ref>\|name=DC}}		'''Kapu''' is a [[Hindus\|Hindu]] caste primarily found in the Indian state of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. They are classified as a [[Forward caste]].{{Refn\|<ref name=SPI>{{Cite book \|last1=Reddi \|first1=Agarala Easwara \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vaxxeoPUuqsC&pg=PA339 \|title=State Politics in India: Reflections on Andhra Pradesh \|last2=Ram \|first2=D. Sundar \|date=1994 \|publisher=M. D. Publications \|isbn=978-81-85880-51-8 \|pages=339 \|language=en \|quote=The Kapus, concentrated in Guntur, Krishna, West and East Godavari districts are listed among the forward castes. In Rayalaseema districts they are known as Balijas.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Guhan \|first=Sanjivi \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J1_uAAAAIAAJ&q=Kapu \|title=India's Development Experience: Selected Writings of S. Guhan \|date=2001 \|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] \|isbn=978-0-19-565523-0 \|pages=204 \|language=en \|quote=In Andhra Pradesh, the forward castes (mainly Brahmins, Kapu, and Kamma) ....}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Jaffrelot \|first1=Christophe \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78rfCgAAQBAJ \|title=Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies \|last2=Kumar \|first2=Sanjay \|date=2012-05-04 \|publisher=[[Routledge]] \|isbn=978-1-136-51662-7 \|pages=280 \|language=en \|quote=The Forward Castes comprise the Brahmin, Kapus, Kamma, Reddys, Komati, Kshatriya, Velama. \|author-link=Christophe Jaffrelot}}</ref><ref name=CoI71/><ref name=Singh-1992/><ref name=MIDS/><ref name=Gudavarthy/>\|name=FC-K}} They are a community of land-owning agriculturists.{{Refn\|<ref name=CoI61/><ref name=EnH/><ref name="MIDS"/><ref name=CIS>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XuUDAQAAIAAJ&q=Kapu \|title=Contributions to Indian Sociology \|date=1990 \|publisher=Mouton \|volume=24 \|pages=37 \|language=en \|issue=1}}</ref><ref name=CRRID>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qwnsAAAAMAAJ \|title=Man & Development \|date=1991 \|publisher=Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development \|volume=13 \|pages=68 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last=Rao \|first=Y. V. Krishna \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6R_tAAAAMAAJ \|title=Peasant Farming and Growth of Capitalism in Indian Agriculture \|date=1984 \|publisher=Visalaandhra Publishing House \|pages=280 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Mukherjee \|first1=S. \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bO4aqix_0qkC&dq=Kapus+land-owning&pg=PA308 \|title=Political Science Annual 1996 \|last2=Ramaswamy \|first2=S. \|date=1996 \|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications \|isbn=978-81-7100-833-9 \|pages=308 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Gudavarthy/>\|name=LO-K}} Historically, they have also been warriors in Hindu armies.{{Refn\|name=wm}}<ref name="Sarma-1946" />{{Sfn\|Kantha Rao\|1999\|p=50, 59, 66}} They are one of the [[Dominant caste\|dominant castes]] of Andhra Pradesh.{{Refn\|<ref name="EnH">{{Cite book \|last=Gundemeda \|first=Nagaraju \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mitQBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103 \|title=Education and Hegemony: Social Construction of Knowledge in India in the Era of Globalisation \|date=2014-10-02 \|publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing \|isbn=978-1-4438-6830-3 \|pages=103, XV \|language=en \|quote=.... belongs to the Hindu upper (landed) caste Kapu, one of the dominant castes in coastal Andhra Pradesh.}}</ref><ref name=IJAE>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PjBHAAAAYAAJ&q=Telaga+dominant+caste \|title=The Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics \|date=2000 \|publisher=Indian Society of Agricultural Economics \|volume=55 \|pages=707 \|language=en \|quote=In Andhra Pradesh, at the state level, one might mention a few castes such as Reddy, Velama, Kamma, Raju, Kapu / Telaga / Balija castes as the dominant (cultivator) castes.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book \|last1=Shastri \|first1=Sandeep \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tCVGEAAAQBAJ&dq=kapu&pg=PT207 \|title=Electoral Dynamics in the States of India \|last2=Kumar \|first2=Ashutosh \|last3=Sisodia \|first3=Yatindra Singh \|date=2021-11-22 \|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] \|isbn=978-1-000-47697-2 \|language=en \|quote=..... and all of them were contested against the dominant caste candidates like Reddy, Kamma, Kapu, etc.}}</ref><ref name=UNU>{{Cite book \|last=Kuczyński \|first=Janusz \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jUGWAAAAIAAJ \|title=Perspectives on Contemporary Youth \|date=1988 \|publisher=[[United Nations University]] \|isbn=978-92-808-0643-4 \|pages=253 \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=CIS/><ref name=CRRID/><ref name="Srinivasulu-2002" /><ref>{{Cite journal \|last=Gundimeda \|first=Sambaiah \|date=2009 \|title=Dalits, Praja Rajyam Party and Caste Politics in Andhra Pradesh \|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40279035 \|journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] \|volume=44 \|issue=21 \|pages=50–58 \|jstor=40279035 \|issn=0012-9976}}</ref><ref name=Gudavarthy/><ref>{{Cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HxNuAAAAMAAJ&q=kapu \|title=South Asian Studies \|date=2001 \|publisher=Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan \|isbn=978-81-7304-377-2 \|pages=249, 252, 255 \|language=en \|issue=36}}</ref>\|name=DC}}

Matt Damon: Added and expanded the article.

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UpdateBot at 08:17, 3 May 2022

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	[[File:Castes and tribes of southern India. Assisted by K. Rangachari (1909) (14783078942).jpg\|thumb\|A Kapu newlywed couple, Madras Presidency, 1909]]		[[File:Castes and tribes of southern India. Assisted by K. Rangachari (1909) (14783078942).jpg\|thumb\|A Kapu newlywed couple, Madras Presidency, 1909]]
	'''Kapu''' refers to a social grouping of agriculturists found primarily in the southern Indian state of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. Kapus are primarily an agrarian community, forming a heterogeneous peasant caste.		'''Kapu''' refers to a social grouping of agriculturists found primarily in the southern Indian state of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Telangana]]. Kapus are primarily an agrarian community, forming a heterogeneous peasant caste.

	They are classified as a [[Forward Caste]] in Andhra Pradesh, where they are the dominant community in the districts of [[East Godavari]] and [[West Godavari]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/2692.pdf\|title=Caste, Class and Social Articulation in Andhra Pradesh, India: Mapping Differential Regional Trajectories\|work=ODI\|access-date=2017-03-13\|page=4}}</ref> They are distinct from three other Kapu communities that were present in the state prior to its bifurcation with the creation of [[Telangana]] in 2014. The [[Munnuru Kapu]] are found primarily in Telangana, the [[Turpu Kapu]] in the areas of [[Srikakulam district\|Srikakulam]], [[Vizianagaram district\|Vizianagaram]] and [[Visakhapatnam district\|Visakhapatnam]], and the [[Balija]] in [[Rayalaseema]]. The first two of these other three communities are classified as [[Other Backward Class]]es.<ref>{{cite book \|title=Maoism, Democracy and Globalisation: Cross-currents in Indian Politics \|first=Ajay \|last=Gudavarthy \|publisher=SAGE Publishing India \|year=2014 \|isbn=978-9-35150-425-2 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CxlBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT81 \|page=81}}</ref>		They are classified as a [[Forward Caste]] in Andhra Pradesh, where they are the dominant community in the districts of [[East Godavari]] and [[West Godavari]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/2692.pdf\|title=Caste, Class and Social Articulation in Andhra Pradesh, India: Mapping Differential Regional Trajectories\|work=ODI\|access-date=2017-03-13\|page=4}}</ref> They are distinct from three other Kapu communities that were present in the state prior to its bifurcation with the creation of [[Telangana]] in 2014. The [[Munnuru Kapu]] are found primarily in Telangana, the [[Turpu Kapu]] in the areas of [[Srikakulam district\|Srikakulam]], [[Vizianagaram district\|Vizianagaram]] and [[Visakhapatnam district\|Visakhapatnam]], and the [[Balija]] in [[Rayalaseema]]. The first two of these other three communities are classified as [[Other Backward Class]]es.<ref>{{cite book \|title=Maoism, Democracy and Globalisation: Cross-currents in Indian Politics \|first=Ajay \|last=Gudavarthy \|publisher=SAGE Publishing India \|year=2014 \|isbn=978-9-35150-425-2 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CxlBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT81 \|page=81}}</ref>
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	== Notable people==		== Notable people==
	* [[Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.news18.com/blogs/politics/vvp-sharma/after-series-of-outsider-chief-ministers-sasikala-to-be-first-tamil-cm-after-29-years-14329-1345645.html\|title=After Series of 'Outsiders', Sasikala to be first Tamil CM in 29 Years\|work=News18\|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref>		* [[Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.news18.com/blogs/politics/vvp-sharma/after-series-of-outsider-chief-ministers-sasikala-to-be-first-tamil-cm-after-29-years-14329-1345645.html\|title=After Series of 'Outsiders', Sasikala to be first Tamil CM in 29 Years\|work=News18\|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref>
			* [[C.K. Nayudu\|C.K. Nayudu (Former Indian Cricket Captain)]]
	* [[Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga\|Vangaveeti Mohan Ranga Rao]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2010/jun/22/it-all-began-at-the-auto-stand-125532.html\|title=It all began at the auto stand\|work=The New Indian Express\|access-date=2017-03-16}}</ref>		* [[Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga\|Vangaveeti Mohan Ranga Rao]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2010/jun/22/it-all-began-at-the-auto-stand-125532.html\|title=It all began at the auto stand\|work=The New Indian Express\|access-date=2017-03-16}}</ref>
	* [[Dasari Narayana Rao]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/Kapu-leaders-rally-behind-Mudragada/article14422051.ece\|title=Kapu leaders rally behind Mudragada\|work=The Hindu\|access-date=2018-12-21}}</ref>		* [[Dasari Narayana Rao]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/Kapu-leaders-rally-behind-Mudragada/article14422051.ece\|title=Kapu leaders rally behind Mudragada\|work=The Hindu\|access-date=2018-12-21}}</ref>
			* [[Chiranjeevi\|Chiranjeevi (Actor)]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/south/story/chiranjeevi-kapu-praja-rajyam-card-caste-182770-2013-12-07.ece\|title=Kapu card may cast(e) Chiranjeevi in the CM's role\|work=India Today\|access-date=2013-12-07}}</ref>
			* [[Pawan Kalyan\|Pawan Kalyan (Actor)]]<ref>{{Cite news\|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/andhra-house-cards-political-triangle-between-tdp-bjp-and-kapu-padmanabham-76936.ece\|title=Andhra House of Cards: The political triangle between TDP, BJP and Kapu Padmanabham\|work=The News Minute\|access-date=2018-02-24}}</ref>

	==References==		==References==

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[[File:Castes and tribes of southern India. Assisted by K. Rangachari (1909) (14783078942).jpg|thumb|A Kapu newlywed couple, Madras Presidency, 1909]]
'''Kapu''' refers to a social grouping of agriculturists found primarily in the southern Indian state of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. Kapus are primarily an agrarian community, forming a heterogeneous peasant caste.

They are classified as a [[Forward Caste]] in Andhra Pradesh, where they are the dominant community in the districts of [[East Godavari]] and [[West Godavari]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/2692.pdf|title=Caste, Class and Social Articulation in Andhra Pradesh, India: Mapping Differential Regional Trajectories|work=ODI|access-date=2017-03-13|page=4}}</ref> They are distinct from three other Kapu communities that were present in the state prior to its bifurcation with the creation of [[Telangana]] in 2014. The [[Munnuru Kapu]] are found primarily in Telangana, the [[Turpu Kapu]] in the areas of [[Srikakulam district|Srikakulam]], [[Vizianagaram district|Vizianagaram]] and [[Visakhapatnam district|Visakhapatnam]], and the [[Balija]] in [[Rayalaseema]]. The first two of these other three communities are classified as [[Other Backward Class]]es.<ref>{{cite book |title=Maoism, Democracy and Globalisation: Cross-currents in Indian Politics |first=Ajay |last=Gudavarthy |publisher=SAGE Publishing India |year=2014 |isbn=978-9-35150-425-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CxlBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT81 |page=81}}</ref>

==Etymology==
''Kāpu'' literally means cultivator or agriculturist in [[Telugu language|Telugu]].{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=74}} Various subgroups of Kapus branched off into separate communities in the post-[[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiya]] period ([[Velama]]s, Panta Kapus and Pakanati Kapus—both of whom got labelled [[Reddy]]s, and Kapus of [[Kammanadu]]—eventually labelled [[Kamma (caste)|Kamma]]s).{{sfn|Talbot|2001|pp=192, 206}} The remaining Kapus continue to use the original label. All the cultivator caste clusters have a common ancestry in the legends.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=206}} According to Cynthia Talbot, the transformation of occupational identities as caste labels occurred in the [[Vijayanagara Empire|late Vijayanagara period]] (17th century) or later.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=86}}

==Status==
The Kapu are considered to be a [[Sat-Shudra]] community in the traditional Hindu ritual ranking system known as [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Sahitya Akademi|title=Indian literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NptjAAAAMAAJ|access-date=16 July 2011|year=1996|publisher=Sähitya Akademi.|page=177}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Harnam Singh |last=Verma|title=The OBCs and the ruling classes in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mG_aAAAAMAAJ|access-date=16 July 2011|year=2005|publisher=Rawat Publications|isbn=978-81-7033-885-7|page=309}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Minna |last=Säävälä|others=Nordic Institute of Asian Studies|title=Fertility and familial power relations: procreation in south India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c9FwQxGqwOUC&pg=PA16|access-date=9 May 2011|year=2001|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-7007-1484-1|page=16}}</ref>

The Kapu have been described by Srinivasulu as a "dominant peasant caste in coastal Andhra", with the Telaga listed as "a backward peasant caste" and the Balija as a peasant caste who hold [[Lingayatism|Lingayat]] beliefs. Srinisavulu has analysed the [[Census of India prior to independence|1921 census of India]] to cause alignment with the present-day state and classification system, from which he concludes that Kapus (including Reddys) amounted to around 17 percent of the state's then population and were regarded as a Forward caste, whilst the Balija and Telaga were regarded as [[Backward caste]]s, comprising 3 percent and 5 percent of the 1921 population, respectively.<ref>{{cite book |title=Caste & Class Articulation of Andhra Pradesh |url=http://www.odi.org.uk/livelihoodoptions/papers/wp179.pdf#search='caste%2C%20class%2C%20and%20social%20articulation |first=K. |last=Srinivasulu |publisher=Overseas Development Institute |location=London |date=September 2002 |isbn=0-85003-612-7 |pages=Glossary of castes, 4|access-date=20 December 2011}}</ref>

Srinivasulu notes that the Reddys and Kammas are the politically dominant communities of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and that the Kapus are among a group with lesser but still significant influence, despite their small population. They are particularly effective in the districts of East Godavari and West Godavari, although Srinivasulu notes that "The Kapus of the coastal districts are distinct from the Munnur Kapus of Telangana. While the former are fairly prosperous, the political emergence of the latter, who are part of the OBC category, is a recent phenomenon."<ref>{{cite book |title=Caste & Class Articulation of Andhra Pradesh |url=http://www.odi.org.uk/livelihoodoptions/papers/wp179.pdf#search='caste%2C%20class%2C%20and%20social%20articulation |first=K. |last=Srinivasulu |publisher=Overseas Development Institute |location=London |date=September 2002 |isbn=0-85003-612-7 |page=3|access-date=20 December 2011}}</ref>

The official government classifications rarely distinguished between the Kapu sub-castes. All Kapus were classified as forming a backward caste in 1915 by the [[British Raj|British government]] of the [[Madras Presidency]], which remained in force even after the formation of Andhra Pradesh until 1956. In that year, the government of Andhra Pradesh removed Kapus from the list of backward castes. Even though various governments have since made efforts to include them again, the efforts have not been successful. In 1968, the Anantha Raman Commission set up by the Andhra Pradesh government recognised Munnuru Kapus and Turpu Kapus as backward classes, but not the Kapus as a whole. The [[Mandal Commission]] set up by the [[Government of India]] in the 1980s recommended that Kapus be included among the Other Backward Classes (OBC). But the state governments were entrusted with finalising the list of castes for the OBC category. The state commission headed by N. K. Muralidhar Rao did not recommend any change to the status of the other Kapu castes.<ref>{{citation |last=Rao |first=M. L. Kantha |title=A study of the socio political mobility of the kapu caste in modern Andhra |publisher=University of Hyderabad/Shodhganga |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/25437/ |date=2014 |at=Chapter 5}}</ref>

In early 2016, the Kapus of the residual Andhra Pradesh state launched an agitation demanding the OBC status, leading to violent protests.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kapus-in-Andhra-set-6-train-bogies-2-police-stations-ablaze-for-quota/articleshow/50800081.cms Kapus in Andhra set 6 train bogies, 2 police stations ablaze for quota], The Times of India, 1 February 2016.
</ref><ref>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/5-things-to-know-about-kapus-their-reservation-demand-and-protests/story-LVqE8UAv88rsP319ZdaJ4L.html 5 things to know about Kapus, their reservation demand and protests], Hindustan Times, 1 February 2016.
</ref> The [[Indian National Congress]] party and the [[YSR Congress]] party have supported their demand.<ref>
[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/pass-bill-to-include-kapus-in-bc-list-during-budget-session-cong/article8149428.ece Pass Bill to include Kapus in BC list: Cong.], The Hindu, 25 January 2016.</ref> The then-ruling [[Telugu Desam Party]] was said to be opposed to the demand.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/tdp-bjp-oppose-inclusion-of-kapus-in-the-list-of-bcs/article8195752.ece TDP, BJP oppose inclusion of Kapus in the list of BCs], The Hindu, 5 February 2016.</ref>

== Notable people==
* [[Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/blogs/politics/vvp-sharma/after-series-of-outsider-chief-ministers-sasikala-to-be-first-tamil-cm-after-29-years-14329-1345645.html|title=After Series of 'Outsiders', Sasikala to be first Tamil CM in 29 Years|work=News18|access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref>
* [[Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga|Vangaveeti Mohan Ranga Rao]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2010/jun/22/it-all-began-at-the-auto-stand-125532.html|title=It all began at the auto stand|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2017-03-16}}</ref>
* [[Dasari Narayana Rao]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/Kapu-leaders-rally-behind-Mudragada/article14422051.ece|title=Kapu leaders rally behind Mudragada|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-12-21}}</ref>

==References==
'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}
'''Bibliography'''
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation |title=Pre-colonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra |first=Cynthia |last=Talbot |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19803-123-9 |year=2001 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfAKljlCJq0C}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Constructing the Colonial Encounter: Right and Left Hand Castes in Early Colonial South India |first=Niels |last=Brimnes |publisher=Routledge |year=1999 |isbn=9780700711062 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HdSABP70H9sC}}
*{{cite book|first=Konduri Sarojini |last=Devi|title=Religion in Vijayanagara Empire|url=https://archive.org/details/religioninvijaya0000saro|url-access=registration |access-date=9 May 2011|date=May 1990|publisher=Sterling Publishers}}
*{{cite book |title=Rethinking India's Oral and Classical Epics: Draupadi among Rajputs, Muslims, and Dalits |first=Alf |last=Hiltebeitel |author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1999 |isbn=9780226340517 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MMFdosx0PokC}}
*{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/politicssocialco0000irsc |url-access=registration |title=Politics and Social Conflict in South India: The Non-Brahman Movement and Tamil Separatism, 1916-1929 |first=Eugene F. |last=Irschick |publisher=University of California Press |year=1969}}
*{{cite book |title=India's Silent Revolution: the Rise of the Lower Castes in North India |first=Christophe |last=Jaffrelot |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. |location=London |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-85065-670-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAkW94DtUMAC}}
*{{cite book|first1=A. Vijaya |last1=Kumari|first2=Sepuri |last2=Bhaskar|title=Social change among Balijas: majority community of Andhra Pradesh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r-ffeWmj2JUC|access-date=9 May 2011|date=1 March 1998|publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|isbn=978-81-7533-072-6}}
*{{cite book |title=The Trading World of the Tamil Merchant: Evolution of Merchant Capitalism in the Coromandel |first=Kanakalatha |last=Mukund |author-link=Kanakalatha Mukund|publisher=Orient Blackswan |year=1999 |isbn=9788125016618 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tjXdDYChdGsC}}
*{{cite book |title=The View from Below: Indigenous Society, Temples, and the Early Colonial State in Tamilnadu, 1700-1835 |first=Kanakalatha |last=Mukund |author-link=Kanakalatha Mukund|publisher=Orient Blackswan |year=2005 |isbn=9788125028000 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5BMljBxJXtoC}}
*{{cite book |title=The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India 1500-1650 |first=Sanjay |last=Subrahmanyam |edition=Reprinted |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2002 |isbn=9780521892261 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jgSMPKVh7f8C}}
*{{cite book |title=The World of the Weaver in Northern Coromandel, c. 1750 - c. 1850 |first=P. |last=Swarnalatha |publisher=Orient Blackswan |location=New Delhi |year=2005 |isbn=9788125028680 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t5XlI91kP3YC}}
*{{cite journal |title=Mughal State and Tribes in 17th century |first=Sunita |last=Ziadi |journal=Indian Economic and Social History Review |year=1989 |volume=26 |pages=343–362 |doi=10.1177/001946468902600304|s2cid=144187179 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kapu}}
[[Category:Kapu (caste)| ]]
[[Category:Telugu society]]
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Social groups of Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Agricultural castes]]