Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was the first elected Chief Minister of the erstwhile Hyderabad State. Prior to the independence of India and the political integration of the princely states into the Union, he was among the Telugu-speaking leaders to resist the Nizam in the princely state of Hyderabad
He was educated at the Dharmavanth and Excelsior High School in Hyderabad, where he would receive a B.A. (Honours) degree from Fergusson College, Pune and a law degree from Bombay University in 1923.He received famous “Allies” scholarship and graduated in law in Mumbai and took up the legal profession in Hyderabad but continued for a few days only. He was imprisoned twice for participating in public movements. He gave up the law portfolio given by Mirza Ismail, the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Hyderabad State. He was one of the founding members of the Hyderabad State Congress. He presided over the second Andhra Mahasabha conference at Devarkonda in 1932 and gave direction for Telangana society. He also worked as a secretary for Hyderabad Swadesi League and Nizam Subjects League. He was also involved in promoting the library movement in the State.
He worked as a Revenue Minister in the cabinet of Vellodi government (1950) which was formed after police action. He got victory from Shadnagar constituency in the first sovereign elections held in 1952, and became the first Chief Minister of Hyderabad. After the termination of Nizam rule, in a short period he formed a stable democratic system with his administrative skill. He eradicated the system of jagirdar and mukthedar in Telangana and introduced the law of tenancy and became the first Indian land reformer.
The services of Burgula spread not only in Telangana but also to neighbouring areas. After the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, he appointed as the Governor of Kerala from November 1956 to July 1960, and in July 1959 he dismissed the first elected Communist govt in India, the first time article 356 was used in India. Later he was Governor of Uttar Pradesh till April 1962. He was later elected to the Rajya Sabha. In which he served from 1962 to 1966. He died on 14 September 1967.