List of Telugu people

This is a list of notable Telugu people.

Poets

• Gona Budda Reddy
• Vemana
• Tikkana
• Yerrapragada
• Bammera Pothana
• Allasani Peddana
• Tenali Ramakrishna
• Nannayya
• Sidhendra Yogi- Originator of Kuchipudi
• Molla - First Telugu woman poet, also the author of Telugu Ramayana
• Kancherla Gopanna
• Kaloji Narayana Rao
• Daasarathi Krishnamacharyulu

Royalty

• Goutami Putra Satakarni -- Satavahana dynasty
• Madhava Varma -- Vishnukundina Dynasty
• Rajaraja Narendra -- Eastern Chalukya
• Rani Rudrama Devi -- Kakatiya dynasty
• Reddy dynasty
• Musunuri Kaapaaneedu—Liberator of Telugus from Delhi Sultanate
• Madurai Nayaks
• Tanjavur Nayaks
• Kandy Nayaks, ruled Sri Lanka
• Telugu Cholas
• Pemmasani Nayaks
• Musunuri Nayak

Journalists

• Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao - journalist of early twentieth century and father of the library movement in Andhra,Founder of Andhra patrika.
• N. Subba Rao Pantulu and D.Kesava Rao pantulu (Co Founders of The Hindu)
• G. K. Reddy - Journalist
• Suravaram Pratapareddy - Founder of Golconda Patrika, a journal in Hyderabad State.
• Palagummi Sainath - Rural India Affaris Reporter, The Hindu.

Musicians and composers

• Bhadrachala Ramadas
• Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu
• M. Balamuralikrishna
• Kshetrayya, He is popularly known as "Maha Kavi Kshetrayya. He had written poems on Lord Sri Krishna as Kshetrayya Padaalu.
• U. Srinivas, He is popularly known as Mandolin Srinivas.
• Rakesh Yankaran, Indo-Trinidadian singer from Trinidad and Tobago

Religious leaders and philosophers

• Trailanga - Incarnation of Lord Shiva. Lived in Varanasi after he became Sannyasi.
• Vallabha Acharya - One of the prominent Bhakthi movement leaders
• Acharya Nagarjuna - Buddhist Philosopher and Alchemist
• Yogi Vemana- Poet and philosopher
• Pothuluri Veerabrahmam-A well-known saint and astronomer in the 17th century
• U. G. Krishnamurti - Philosopher
• Jiddu Krishnamurti - 20th century spiritual teacher and philosopher
• Sringeri Shankaracharya
• Nimbarka - One of the four principal Vaishnav acharyas of India.
• Vishnuswami - One of the four principal Vaishnav acharyas of India.
• Vallabha - Another major Vaishnav acharya.
• Satya Sai Baba - An internationally renowned Spiritual Master, based in Puttaparti
• Sadasiva Brahmendra - A Bhakthi Poet
• Bhakta Potana - A realised Soul and a Bhakthi poet who translated Bhagavatam to Telugu
• Kancherla Gopanna - A great devotee to Lord Rama, composed many songs on Rama
• Annamacharya - A great devotee of Tirumala Lord Venkateshwara who has written 40000 songs and composed them.
• Tyagaraja - A great devotee of Lord SriRama who is excelled in carnatic music and have written and composed some 30000 songs majorly on Sri Rama. He is born of a Telugu family, and brought up in present Tamil Nadu.
• Syama Sastri- He is the oldest among the Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. All his compositions are in Telugu. He is born of a Telugu family, and brought up in present Tamil Nadu.

Warriors, martyrs and freedom fighters

• Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy- Freedom fighter of India,led the first revolt against British in India.
• Alluri Sitaramaraju- Freedom fighter
• Kandukuri Veeresalingam-Social Reformer,Writer,Editor,Performed first Widow Marriage in India.
• Pingali Venkayya - Freedom fighter and Indian National Flag designer.
• Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao - Writer of the National Pledge (India),written in Telugu first,later translated to other Indian languages.
• Tanguturi Prakasam
• Arutla Ramchandra Reddy - Indian freedom fighter & Telangana movement leader from Nalgonda
• Potu Narsimha Reddy - Social Reformer, Satyagraha Movement leader from Adilabad.
• Vedre Ramachandra Reddy Bhoodhan - Social Reformer, Satyagraha Movement leader.
• Potti Sreeramulu - Responsible for the formation of Andhra State, died after fasting for statehood.
• Vavilala Gopalakrishnayya - Gandhian and freedom fighter.
• Sarojini Naidu
• Anabheri Prabhakar Rao
• Gouthu Latchanna
• Veerapandiya Kattabomman
• Kaneganti Hanumanthu
• Goparaju Ramachandra Rao
• Tripuraneni Ramaswamy
• N.G. Ranga
• Durgabai Deshmukh
• Kaloji Narayana Rao

Scientists

• Yellapragada Subbarow (1895 – 1948): Indian biochemist who made many important discoveries while working in the United States
• Raj Reddy - Renowned scientist in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science and academician. He is the first and the only winner of Turing award from India.
• Suri Bhagavantam: A famous Indian scientist and administrator who worked and collaborated with C.V.Raman He worked as Director of the Indian Institute of Science and the Defence Research and Development Organisation and as adviser to the Indian defense ministry.
• Yelavarthy Nayudamma
• D. Bap Reddy: Entomologist and Acting Assistant Director-General of Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations
• M. Visvesvaraya - Indian Engineer, Scholar and statesman on whose memory Engineer's day is celebrated across India

Economists and Policy makers

• Y. Venugopal Reddy - Former Reserve Bank of India Governor from 6 September 2003 until 5 September 2008 - credited with imposing tough lending standards which shielded India from 2008 financial crisis
• Duvvuri Subbarao - 22nd Governor of Reserve Bank of India

Writers

• Paravastu Chinnayya Soori
• C. Narayana Reddy : winner of gnanapeeta award
• Tapi Dharma Rao Naidu - Writer
• Suravaram Pratap Reddy - Writer and historian from Telangana
• Kethu Viswanatha Reddy - Poet from Rayalaseema
• Kesava Reddy - Telugu novelist from Chittoor
• Ravuri Bharadhwaja - winner of gnanapeeta award Telugu novelist
• Malladi Venkata Krishna Murthy - Maximum number of stories written in Telugu- Over 3000

Artists

• Nandikolla Gopala Rao- Father of Modern Indian Art of Andhra Pradesh
• Pakhal Tirumal Reddy - Artist
• N.V.Reddi Naidu - Painter, Artist
• Krishna Reddy (artist) - Printmaker and sculptor
• Laxma Goud
• Damerla Rama Rao
• Vempati Chinna Satyam – Exponent of Kuchipudi dance
• Raja and Radha Reddy- Kuchipudi dancers
• Shobha Naidu - Kuchipudi dancer
• Yamini Reddy - Kuchipudi dancer
• Eelapata Raghuramaiah- Stage and Cine Actor of Andhra Pradesh

Academic and science, Occult Sciences

• Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy - First Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University
• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - Second President of Republic of India, and noted Philosopher
• C.N.R. Rao - Indian chemist who has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry.
• G. Ram Reddy - Former University Grants Commission chairman
• Raj Reddy - Computer scientist Dr. Raj Reddy - winner of the ACM Turing Award
• Sarvepalli Gopal - Indian Historian
• J. N. Reddy - Oscar S. Wyatt Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University
• Arjula Ramachandra Reddy - Biologist, First vice-chancellor of Yogi Vemana University
• Pavani Parameswara Rao - a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court of India

Award winners

Bharat Ratna

• V.V. Giri, awarded 1975
• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, awarded 1954

Padma Vibhushan

• M. Balamuralikrishna
• N. G. Ranga
• Ravi Narayan Reddy (1992)
• Kaloji Narayana Rao (1992)
• V. Ramalingaswami
• Cingireddy Narayana Reddy (2000)
• Y. Venugopal Reddy (2010)
• Prathap C. Reddy (2010)
• Ramoji Rao (2016)

Padmabhushan

Jnanpith Award

• Viswanatha Satyanarayana for his work "Ramayana Kalpavrukshamu" for the year 1970.
• C. Narayanareddy for his Telugu poetic work Viswambara for the year 1988.
• Ravuri Bharadhwaja for his Telugu poetic work "Pakudu Rallu" (Crawling Stones) for the year 2012.

Sahitya Akademi Award

• Viswanadha Satyanarayana for his Poetry book "Viswanadha Madhyakaralu"
• Suravaram Pratap Reddy for his social history book Andhrula Sanghika Charitamu (1955)
• Kethu Viswanatha Reddy for his Short Stories Book Kethu Viswanatha Reddy Kathalu

Dada Saheb Phalke award

• Bomireddi Narasimha Reddy (1974) - First South Indian to receive the highest award in movies in India.
• Paidi Jairaj (1980)
• B.Nagi Reddy (1986)
• Akkineni Nageswara Rao (1990)
• D. Ramanaidu (2009)

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

• Pullela Gopichand - Badminton (2000–2001)

Arjuna Award

• V.V.S. Laxman - Cricket
• Mithali Raj - Cricket
• Mukesh Kumar - Hockey
• PV Sindhu- Badminton
• Koneru Humpy - Chess

Politicians

• Neelam Sanjiva Reddy - Ex-President of India, Ex-Speaker of Lok Sabha, Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• V.V. Giri - Ex-President of India
• Tanguturi Prakasam - Ex-Chief Minister of Madras Presidency and First Chief Minister Of Andhra State.
• P. V. Narasimha Rao - Father of Indian Economic Reforms,Ex-Prime minister of India (1991–1996).
• Bezawada Gopala Reddy - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Tanguturi Anjaiah - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• N. T. Rama Rao - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• N.G. Ranga - Guinness Book of World Records
• Marri Chenna Reddy - Ex-Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Kasu Brahmananda Reddy - Maharashtra Governor, Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Nara Chandrababu Naidu - Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Konijeti Rosaiah - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Governor of Tamil Nadu
• Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy - Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
• Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao - First and Present Chief Minister of Telangana.
• Vijayakanth- Leader of opposition and DMDK Leader, Tamil Nadu
• Vaiko- Leader of MDMK, Tamil Nadu

French Yanam

• Diwan Bouloussou Soubramaniam Sastroulou - (Ancien Membre du Conseil Local et Conseil Municipal de Yanaon, Ancien Jury De Yanaon, Former Diwan of Manyam Zamindari of French Yanam)
• Bezawada Bapa Naidou - (Ancien Maire De Yanaon)
• Kamichetty Venugopala Rao Naidou - (Ancien Maire De Yanaon)
• Kamichetty Sri Parasurama Varaprasada Rao Naidu - Former MLA of Yanam for six consecutive terms and Deputy Speaker, Speaker of Puducherry Legislative Assembly.
• Dadala Raphael Ramanayya - Freedom fighter
• Samatam Krishnayya - Poet and Pro-French Activist, Maire(interim) de Yanaon

Modern writers

Business

Sports

Movies