Answer:

The first state to be created on linguistic basis in India was Andhra Pradesh. This was done on 1st October 1953, as a result of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, which was passed by the Indian Parliament. The Act was a culmination of a long-standing demand of the Telugu-speaking people of the Madras Presidency to have a separate state of their own.

Background:

The demand for a separate state of Andhra Pradesh was first raised by Potti Sriramulu, a freedom fighter, who went on a hunger strike in 1952 demanding the creation of a separate state for Telugu-speaking people. His sacrifice led to the creation of Andhra Pradesh in 1953.

Reasons behind the creation of Andhra Pradesh:

The main reason behind the creation of Andhra Pradesh was the linguistic divide between the Telugu-speaking people of the Madras Presidency and the Tamil-speaking people. The Telugu-speaking people felt that they were being discriminated against by the Tamil-speaking people who occupied most of the government jobs and held significant political power. They demanded a separate state where they could have their own government and have control over their own affairs.

Impact of the creation of Andhra Pradesh:

The creation of Andhra Pradesh led to the formation of other states on a linguistic basis. It set a precedent for the creation of states based on language, leading to the formation of states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Punjab. This was a significant step towards the recognition of linguistic diversity in India.

Conclusion:

Andhra Pradesh was the first state to be created on a linguistic basis in India. It was a significant step towards recognizing the linguistic diversity of India and gave impetus to the creation of other states on the same basis.

Andhra pradesh in 1953