Andhra State (IAST: Āndhra Rāṣṭramu; [ˈɑːndʰrʌ raːʂʈɾamu]), created in 1953, was the official name of the State of Andhra Pradesh until 1956. The state was formed from Telugu-speaking districts of the erstwhile Madras State, which form two distinct cultural regions – Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra.

Under the provisions of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the Telugu-speaking territories of Hyderabad State were merged with Andhra State, and its name was changed to 'Andhra Pradesh'.

These newly added territories would later form the state of Telangana in 2014.

In an effort to protect the interests of the Telugu people of Madras State, Potti Sreeramulu attempted to force the Madras State government to listen to public demands for the separation of Telugu-speaking districts (Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra) from Madras State to form Andhra State. He went on a lengthy fast and only stopped when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made a promise to form Andhra State. Later, after witnessing no real progress towards the creation of Andhra State, he started fasting again in Maharshi Bulusu Sambamurti's house in Madras, on 19 October 1952. This caught people's attention despite the disapproval of the fast by the Andhra INC. The government did not make a clear statement about the formation of a new state, despite several strikes and demonstrations by Telugu people. At midnight of 15 December (i.e., early 16 December 1952), Sreeramulu died while fasting. The house has been preserved as a monument by the state government.

During Sreeramulu's death procession, people shouted slogans praising his sacrifice. Later, they went into a frenzy and began to destroy public property. The news spread quickly and created an uproar among the people in far off places like Chirala, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Bhimavaram, Ballary, Guntur, Tenali, Ongole and Nellore. Seven people were killed in clashes with police in Anakapalle and Vijayawada. The popular agitation continued for three to four days disrupting normal life in the Madras and Andhra regions. On 19 December 1952, the Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru made an announcement about the formation of a separate state for the Telugu-speaking people of Madras State. The central government appointed K. N. Wanchoo, Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, to look into issues related to formation of Andhra State. Parliament passed the Andhra State Act in September 1953.

On 1 October 1953, 11 districts in the Telugu-speaking portion of Madras State became the new Andhra State with Kurnool as the capital. Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu (also known as Andhra Kesari – "The Lion of Andhra") became the first Chief Minister of the new state.

Formation of this first "linguistic state" paved the way to creation of more and provided an opportunity for these states to develop independently, linguistically and economically, each of them having a state to support.

Governors of Andhra State, Andhra State consisted of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. This state was carved out of Madras State in 1953.