People of United Warangal, the old undivided Warangal district, who made their name in music, film, writing, the arts, sport and public life. Each card says how they are tied to the region and links to its source.
Music director and singer
1974β2014
Born hereπ Kambalapalli, Mahabubabad district
Scored about 85 Telugu films in 14 years, many with director Puri Jagannadh.
Music director, singer and lyricist
Born hereπ Bayyaram, Mahabubabad district
Music for Dhamaka, Balagam and Mad Square, among many Telugu films since 2012.
Film lyricist
b. 1970
Born hereπ Challagariga, Chityal mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district
About 3,600 songs in more than 850 films, including Rangasthalam, Pushpa and RRR.
Film lyricist
1973β2022
Born hereπ Nagurlapally, Narsampet mandal, Warangal district
Songs for Itlu Sravani Subramanyam, Pokiri and Desamuduru, often with Chakri, and Telangana songs such as "Maagani Matti Merupu".
Playback and folk singer
b. 1960
Born hereπ Old Warangal district
Folk-style singer in Telugu films since 1994.
Poet and songwriter
1961β2025
Born hereπ Rebarthi, Maddur mandal (then Warangal district, now Siddipet district)
Born Ande Yellaiah, a shepherd and self-taught poet. Wrote "Jaya Jaya He Telangana", adopted as the state song in 2024.
Film director and writer
Born hereπ Warangal
Directed Arjun Reddy (2017), Kabir Singh (2019) and Animal (2023).
Film director and writer
b. 1983
Born hereπ Upparapalle, old Warangal district
Directed Needi Naadi Oke Katha (2018) and Virata Parvam (2022).
Screenwriter and director
b. 1970
Born hereπ Warangal
Wrote Annamayya (1997), Sri Ramadasu (2006) and Om Namo Venkatesaya (2017).
Film director
Born hereπ Warangal
Directed Onamalu (2012), Malli Malli Idhi Rani Roju (2015) and World Famous Lover (2020).
Actress
b. 1992
Born hereπ Warangal
Known as Kayal Anandhi after Kayal (2014); also Pariyerum Perumal (2018). Works in Tamil and Telugu films.
Actress
b. 1990
Born hereπ Warangal
Raised in Hyderabad.
Telugu films including Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha (2013), Ami Thumi (2017) and Awe (2018).
Former IAS officer and film-maker
Born hereπ Warangal
IAS 1982, Home Secretary of Assam and later with the UN in Kosovo. Directed the film Music School, and campaigned for decades for Ramappa Temple's UNESCO listing.
Poet and film lyricist
1925β1987
Born hereπ Chinnaguduru, Maripeda mandal, Mahabubabad district
Poetry collections Agnidhara and Rudraveena, about 2,000 film songs, and Asthana Kavi of Andhra Pradesh. The state's Dasarathi Award is named after him.
Novelist
b. 1941
Born hereπ Vavilala, Palakurthi mandal; lives in Hanumakonda
Wrote the novel Ampashayya, which gave him his pen name.
Poet and literary critic
b. 1940
Born hereπ Chinna Pendyala, Chilpur mandal, Jangaon district
Fifteen poetry collections and the literary journal Srujana (1966β92).
Mimicry artist
1932β2018
Born hereπ Mattewada, Warangal
Widely called a pioneer of mimicry in India and the first mimicry artist to perform at the United Nations in New York. Nominated MLC 1972β78. An auditorium in Warangal is named after him.
Chindu Yakshaganam folk theatre artist
Born hereπ Jangaon district
More than 19,000 shows over five decades, many on literacy and health awareness.
Para-athlete (400 m T20)
b. 2003
Born hereπ Kalleda, Warangal district
Won the 2024 World Para Athletics title in a world-record 55.06 seconds.
Chess grandmaster
b. 2003
Born hereπ Warangal
Learnt at BS Chess Academy, Hanumakonda, under his first coach Bollam Sampath. Grandmaster in 2018, Olympiad team and individual gold in 2024, and crossed 2800 rating in December 2024.
9th Prime Minister of India, writer
1921β2004
Born hereπ Laknepalli, Narsampet mandal, Warangal district; raised at Vangara, Hanumakonda district
Prime Minister 1991β96. Translated Veyipadagalu into Hindi and wrote the novel The Insider.
Economist and educationist
1934β2011
Born hereπ Akkampet, Atmakur mandal, Hanumakonda district
Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University and chief ideologue of the Telangana movement. Jayashankar Bhupalpally district is named after him.
Social activist
b. 1965
Born hereπ Kotha Shayampeta, Hanumakonda
Founded the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) in 1994.
Freedom fighter and parliamentarian
1917β1987
Born hereπ Chinna Pendyala, Jangaon district
A leader in the 1940s struggle who won a Lok Sabha seat and two assembly seats in 1952.
Educationist ("IIT Ramaiah")
b. 1925
Born hereπ Gudur village, old Warangal district
Ran the IIT Study Circle in Hyderabad, which coached generations of IIT entrants. MLC for the teachers' constituency 2007β13 and author of more than 16 Telugu books.
Journalist and writer
1921β1996
Born hereπ Warangal
Started the Telugu journal Kakatiya Patrika with his cousin P. V. Narasimha Rao in the 1940s. Kakatiya University holds an endowment lecture in his name.
Police officer
1928β2022
Born hereπ Pembarthi village, old Warangal district
From the last batch of the Hyderabad Police Service; joined as DSP in 1957 and retired as DIG, with police medals in 1972 and 1982.
Peasant struggle icon
c. 1895β1985
Born hereπ Palakurthi, Jangaon district
Refused to give up her land to the Visnur deshmukh's men; a symbol of the anti-feudal struggle.
Sangham worker
d. 1946
Born hereπ Kadavendi, Jangaon district
Killed during a protest procession on 4 July 1946; remembered as the first martyr of the armed peasant struggle.
We list people only when a reliable source places them in the region. Still checking: athletics coach Nagapuri Ramesh (Dronacharya Award 2016), poet Potlapally Rama Rao, freedom fighter Akkinepalli Thirupathi, lyricists Kasarla Shyam and Mittapalli Surender, and older Padma awardees. Someone missing? Tell us with a source and we'll add them.
For the freedom struggle and the Telangana movement, see history.
