Damodaram Sanjivayya was born in a Maladasu family in Peddapadu village of Kallur Mandal in Kurnool district. His father died when he was young. He was a brilliant student at the Municipal school and he took a bachelor’s degree in law from Madras Law College. As a student, he actively participated in the Indian freedom movement. Damodaram Sanjivayya was Minister in the composite State of Madras. He was the member of the provisional parliament from  1950–52. In 1962 Sri Damodaram Sanjivayya being a dalit leader has elevated as all India Congress committee president. He was Minister of Labour and Employment under Lal Bahadur Shastry between 9 June 1964 and 23 January 1966.Sanjivayya was the first Dalit chief minister of an Indian state. He wrote a book on Labour problems and industrial development in India, in 1970 published by Oxford and IBH Pub. Co., New Delhi

Honours:

• His statue was erected opposite to Public Gardens, Nampally, Hyderabad
• A park, Sanjeevaiah park on the banks of Hussain Sagar  in Hyderabad was named in his honor. His grave is also located inside the park.
• Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, Visakhapatnam one of the premier legal institutions in the country has been named in his honor.
• India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honor (INR 5.00) on 14 February 2008.

About DSNLU :

With growing importance for quality legal education, various national law schools acquired lot of importance. To meet the requirements of students of this State, the Government of Andhra Pradesh decided to establish a new Law University and as per the decision of the Council of Ministers meeting held on 30-06-2008 the Governor of Andhra Pradesh promulgated the Andhra Pradesh University of Law Ordinance, 2008 on 8th July 2008. Subsequently the cabinet on 04-08-2008 approved Andhra Pradesh University of Law Bill, 2008, replacing the Ordinance and this Bill was passed by the State Legislature on 28th August 2008 and became an Act after the same was assented to by the Governor on 23rd September 2008. Thus A.P. University of Law came into existence with Visakhapatnam as Main Campus and two branches at Kadapa and Nizamabad.

Further Andhra Pradesh University of Law” name changed as “Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University” vide Andhra Pradesh University of Law (Amendment) Act, 2012 (Act No. 15 of 2012) published in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette Extraordinary dated 14th May 2012.  The Government of Andhra Pradesh has notified vide G.O. Ms. No. 63 dated 22-5-2012 that the 22nd Day of May 2012 is the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.