The University is an offshoot of the erstwhile Postgraduate Centre of Sri Venkateswara University started in 1968. Subsequently in 1976, the S. V. U. Postgraduate Centre attained autonomous status. The University was established in 1981. Its Vice-Chancellor for the first two terms was M. Abel (1981-87). In 1987, with a capital outlay of Rs. 1.2 crores, Sri Krishnadevaraya Institute of Management was started with funding from the UGC. In 1988, the University which was originally a unitary, residential institution, became a full-fledged affiliating University. Yet another landmark in the history of the University is that the Postgraduate Centre at Kurnool under the jurisdiction of Sri Venkateswara University was made over to Sri Krishnadevaraya University in 1993. Thus the University has an academic history of 33 years. Sri Krishnadevaraya University College of Engineering & Technology was started in 2006 with self-finance.