Bommaraju Bhanumathi was born on sunday the 07th of September 1925 at Ongole to Bommaraju Venkatasubbaiah and Saraswatamma.
Sri Viswanatha Satyanarayana gave her a copy of his book “Cheliyalikatta” with the comments Madhura Vishaada Kaalindi Bhanumathi ki Aaaseervachanaalatho on her 18th birthday.Perhaps that is what spurred her to become an authoress beyond compare.she had Sangeetha Gnanam by birth.She learnt to play Sitar from Sri Mitta Janardhan.while shooting for the film Krishna Prema she saw and fell in love with Paluvayi Siva Rama Krishna the Associate Director of the film.Her father did not accept for the love marriage and hence a distant relative of Sri Ramakrishna by name Manapaka Kamalamma came forward and performed the wedding on 08th August 1943. B.N.Reddy’s Malleswari (1951) brought her fame and recognition throughout South India.
B.Nagi Reddy originally selected Bhanumathi for the female lead role in his most famous film “Missamma”.But she was replaced with Savithri by Late Chakrapani (Aluru Venkata Subba Rao) because she came late for the shooting due to Sri Varalakshmi Vratham Puja Her “ATTAGARI KATHALU” (Stories) are a household name in Andhra Pradesh.She has translated Pearl S Buck’s My Several Worlds into Telugu She rejected entering into Politics in spite of a personal request from Dr.Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan to contest to Lok Sabha from Ongole, which she could have easily won with her charisma had she contested.
Sri Venkateswara University Tirupathi awarded her with Honorary Doctorate in 1985.she received Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 1986 from State Government Of Andhra Pradesh.
Governemnt Of India honoured her in 1994 with Golden Lotus Award (Swarna Kamalam) for her Autobiography “NAALO NENU”
She received personal MANTHROPADESAM from Sankaracharya Of Sringeri
Hats off to her.