The following is a list of notable people from Telangana.

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Award winners

Bharat Ratna

• Zakir Husain
• P. V. Narasimha Rao (2024)

Padma Vibhushan

• Ali Yavar Jung
• Mehdi Nawaz Jung
• Kaloji (1992)
• Ravi Narayana Reddy (1992)

Padma Bhushan

• Nawab Zain Yar Jung
• Zehra Ali Yavar Jung
• C. Narayanareddy
• C. H. Hanumantha Rao
• Haroon Khan Sherwani

Padma Shri Award

• Gajam Anjaiah, Arts
• Laxma Goud, Arts
• Gopi Chand Mannam, Medicine
• Sayyid Ahmedullah Qadri, Arts
• Mohammad Ahmed Zaki, Service

Dada Saheb Phalke Award

• Paidi Jairaj

Dronacharya Award

• Mohammad Ilyas Babar, athletics
• Syed Naeemuddin, football

Sahitya Akademi Award in Telugu

• Daasarathi Krishnamacharyulu, for his book Timiramotho Samaram (1974)
• Cingireddy Narayana Reddy, for his book Mantalu Manavudu (1973)
• Suravaram Pratap Reddy, for his social history book Andhrula Sanghika Charitamu (1955)

Education

• Chukka Ramaiah, MLC, educationist and Telangana activist
• Prof. Kailasa Venkata Ramiah, founder vice-chancellor of Kakatiya University; former member of the UPSC
• Arjula Ramachandra Reddy, distinguished biologist; founder vice-chancellor of Yogi Vemana University; Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore

Business/industry

• Jupally Rameswar Rao, My Home group
• Sashi Reddi, AppLabs

Film industry

• Nag Ashwin
• Shabana Azmi
• Sampoornesh Babu
• Shyam Benegal
• Udaya Bhanu
• Chakri, composer
• Chandrabose
• Dasharath
• Vijay Deverakonda
• Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam
• Rajnesh Domalpalli, Telugu film director
• Dia Mirza Handrich
• Tabassum Hashmi
• Aditi Rao Hydari
• Paidi Jairaj
• Shekhar Kammula
• Vennela Kishore
• Dasarathi Krishnamacharya
• Nagesh Kukunoor, filmmaker and screenwriter
• Venu Madhav
• Farah Naaz
• Sampath Nandi
• C. Narayanareddy
• Nithiin
• Vamshi Paidipally
• Shashi Preetam, music director
• Priyadarshi
• Dil Raju
• Rahul Ramakrishna
• Thagubothu Ramesh
• B. Narsing Rao
• Kiran Rao
• Kanta Rao
• Reshma Rathore
• M. Prabhakar Reddy
• Madhura Sreedhar Reddy
• Nandini Reddy
• Sankalp Reddy
• Siva Reddy
• Surender Reddy
• Tanishq Reddy
• Sushmita Sen
• Harish Shankar
• N. Shankar
• Nikhil Siddharth
• Vandemataram Srinivas
• Rahul Sipligunj
• Suddala Ashok Teja
• Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Poets

• Waheed Akhtar, Urdu poet, writer and one of the leading Muslim scholars and philosophers of the 20th century
• Vattikota AlwarSwamy
• Andesri
• Fani Badayuni, noted Urdu poet
• Rasamayi Balakrishna, folk singer, poet and political activist
• Chandrabose
• Krishnamacharyulu Dasaradhi (1925–1987), poet and political activist
• Gaddar, singer
• Kancherla Gopanna or Bhakta Ramadasu
• Suddala Hanmanthu, poet, best known for the Telugu folk song "Palletoori Pillagada"
• Agasthya Kavi
• Vajjala Shiva Kumar
• Rama Chandra Mouli
• C. Narayanareddy, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan award recipient
• Ampasayya Naveen
• Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad, Urdu poet
• Bammera Pothana, one of the most acclaimed Telugu poets
• Suravaram Pratapareddy
• Dasaradhi Rangacharya
• Gummadi Vittal Rao, balladeer and Naxalite activist
• Kaloji Narayana Rao (1914–2002), poet and political activist
• Pamulaparthi Sadasiva Rao
• Varavara Rao
• Malliya Rechana (940 CE), Jain poet
• Gona Budda Reddy
• Nandini Sidda Reddy
• Sunkireddy Narayana Reddy
• Palkuriki Somanna
• Mallinātha Sūri
• Suddala Ashok Teja
• Goreti Venkanna, poet and folk singer
• Bulemoni Venkateshwarlu

Politicians

• Tanguturi Anjaiah, ex-CM of Andhra Pradesh
• Renuka Chowdhury, former Union minister of State and member of numerous parliamentary committees
• Bandaru Dattatreya, Governor of Himachal Pradesh from 2019, ex-MP Sec-bad
• Ponnam Prabhakar Goud, ex-MP (15th Lok Sabha)
• Tadur Bala Goud, Champion of the Backward Class community; former Minister, MLA; twice an MP in 8th and 9th Lok Sabha
• V. Srinivas Goud, MLA, AP
• Zakir Hussain, third President of India and former governor of Bihar
• Manda Jagannadham, MP (15th Lok Sabha)
• K. Kavitha, MP; founder and President of Telangana Jagruthi Samithi
• R. Krishnaiah, MLA, National backward caste president; officially announced CM candidate from TDP
• Ponnala Lakshmaiah, former president, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee; ex-Minister of AP
• Madan Mohan, MLA
• Padmaja Naidu, founder of INC in the Hyderabad State, former governor of West Bengal
• Sarojini Naidu, first Indian woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress and the first woman governor (to United Provinces)
• Nagabhairava Jaya Prakash Narayana, founder of Lok Satta Party
• Akbaruddin Owaisi, MLA, Floor Leader in Telangana Assembly from AIMIM
• Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, President Of AIMIM
• Linganna Pujari, Mumbai
• Etela Rajender, MLA
• Chukka Ramaiah, Ramaiah Academy, Educationalist, MLC
• Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, first elected Chief Minister of the Hyderabad State (Independent India)
• Jalagam Vengal Rao, ex-CM of Andhra Pradesh
• K. T. Rama Rao, MLA
• Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, former Chief Minister of Telangana State; founder of TRS/BRS;
• P. Muralidhar Rao, National General Secretary, BJP
• P. V. Narasimha Rao, ex-CM of AP and ninth Prime Minister of India
• T. Harish Rao, MLA
• Ramesh Rathod, ex-MP (15th Lok Sabha)
• Alimineti Madhava Reddy, ex-Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh
• Anumula Revanth Reddy, second Chief Minister of Telangana State
• C. Laxma Reddy, MLA Jadcherla, ex-Health Minister
• G. Kishan Reddy, MLA, President of the BJP, AP
• G. Sanjeeva Reddy, ex-MP Rajya Sabha, ex-Minister of labour
• Gutha Sukender Reddy, Chairman of Telangana Legislative Council from 2019
• Jaipal Reddy, ex-MP (13th, 14th and 15th Lokh Sabha); Minister, GOI
• Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, ex-MP (15th Lok Sabha)
• Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, ex-minister, AP
• Kunduru Jana Reddy, ex-Minister Panchayat Raj (2010), AP
• Marri Chenna Reddy, ex-CM of Andhra Pradesh
• Marri Shashidhar Reddy, MLA, member of the National Disaster Management Authority
• Naini Narshimha Reddy, ex-Home Minister of Telangana, MLC, TRS Party Senior Leader
• Ramreddy Damodar Reddy, MLA
• Revanth Reddy, MP, Malkajgiri
• Sabita Indra Reddy, ex-Education Minister of Telangana from 2019
• Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, ex-MP, former General Secretary for the Communist Party of India
• P. Shiv Shankar, ex-MP, Union Law Minister - GOI
• Kadiyam Srihari, MP
• Konda Surekha, MLA, ex-Minister, AP
• G. Venkat Swamy, ex-MP (14th Lok Sabha); ex-Minister, GOI
• Gaddam Vivek Venkatswamy, ex-MP (15th Lok Sabha)
• Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLA, Chief Whip for the Congress Party

Sport

Badminton

• Pullela Gopichand
• Jwala Gutta
• Parupalli Kashyap
• Saina Nehwal
• P.V. Sindhu

Cricket

• Arshad Ayub, former India team player and manager
• Mohammad Azharuddin
• Abbas Ali Baig, player and coach of India Cricket Team
• Harsha Bhogle, popular cricket commentator and founder of cricbuzz.com
• Noel David, former Team India cricketer
• M. L. Jaisimha, Team India cricket player
• V. V. S. Laxman
• Pragyan Ojha
• Mithali Raj
• Ambati Rayudu
• Kanwaljit Singh, multiple Ranji record-breaking all-rounder
• Mohammed Siraj, represented Team India in cricket
• Shivlal Yadav, former India team player

Hockey

• Mukesh Kumar

Other sports

• Abdul Basith, former captain of the Indian men's volleyball team
• Sania Mirza, tennis player
• Gagan Narang, shooter
• Nikhat Zareen, boxer

News writers

• Suravaram Pratapareddy (1896–1953), social historian
• Vattikota Alwar Swamy (1915–1961), Telugu writer, human rights activist, communist leader, journalist and publisher
• Suddala Ashok Teja, Tollywood lyric writer
• Arunodaya Vimala, balladeer and social activist

Military chiefs

• Air Chief Marshal Denis La Fontaine, Chief of Staff, Indian Air Force, 1985–88
• Air Chief Marshal Idris Hasan Latif, Chief of Staff, Indian Air Force, 1978–81
• Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, Chief of Staff, Indian Air Force, 2007–09

Religious figures

• Kancherla Gopanna

Lawyers

• Subodh Markandeya, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India

Other notable people

• Chakali Ailamma, revolutionary leader
• Komaram Bheem, 20th-century freedom fighter
• Gaddar, artist, singer, politician
• Ganapathi, leader of the banned extremist group CPI (Maoist)
• Suddala Hanumanthu, freedom fighter, writer, balladeer
• Prof. Kothapalli Jayashankar, professor and political activist
• Prof. M. Kodandaram, professor, political activist, and chairman of All-Party Telangana Joint Action Committee
• Vani Kola, venture capitalist, co-founder of Kalaari Capital
• Kalvakuntla Kavitha, political activist, founder and President of Telangana Jagruthi Samithi
• Malik Motasim Khan, leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
• Nerella Venu Madhav, often regarded as the father of Indian mimicry
• Diya Mirza, former Miss Asia-Pacific pageant winner
• Vivek Oberoi, Hindi film actor
• V. Prakash, educational activist
• Chukka Ramaiah, educator
• Varavara Rao, poet
• Raavi Narayana Reddy, revolutionary, leader of CPI, parliamentarian
• Bholekar Srihari, painter, sculptor and printmaker
• Tabu, Hindi film actress, multiple national awards winner
• Suresh Venapally, mathematician known for his research work in algebra, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award 2009