P. Ananda Charlu was a prominent public figure in South India and was responsible for organising several political campaigns before the Indian National Congress appeared on the scene.
With the help of his associates (such as M- Viraraghavachari and G. Subramaniya Aiyer), he set up a political organisation known as the Madras Mahajan Sabha in 1884, which aimed at creating public opinion. It was the efforts of leaders like P. Ananda Charlu that prepared the ground for the establishment of the Indian National Congress, an organisation at the all-India level. In fact, P. Ananda Charli was one of the 72 delegates (also called the ‘brave-72’) who attended the first session of the INC (in 1885 at Bombay) and laid down its aims and objectives.
In 1891, he presided over the annual session of the Congress at Nagpur. From 1903 to 1905, he was a member of the Madras Legislative Council.