Telangana MLAs 2018–2023
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Telangana is a
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
situated in the south-central part of the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
on the high
Deccan Plateau The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura Range, Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound ...
. It is the eleventh largest state by area and the twelfth most populated state in India, according to the 2011 census. On 2 June 2014, the area was separated from the northwestern part of
United Andhra Pradesh United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
as the newly formed
state of Telangana Telangana is a state in India situated in the south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh largest state by area and the twelfth most populated state in India, according to the 2011 census. O ...
, with
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
as its capital.
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
, one of the
classical languages of India The Indian Classical languages, or the Śāstrīya Bhāṣā ''(Hindi)'' or the Dhrupadī Bhāṣā (''Assamese, Bengali'') or the Abhijāta Bhāṣā (''Marathi'') or the Cemmoḻi (''Tamil''), is an umbrella term for the languages of India ha ...
, is the most widely spoken and the primary official language of Telangana state, whereas
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
is recognised as the second official language. Additionally, several tribal languages such as Gondi, Kolami, Koya and Lambadi are spoken in different regions of the Telangana state. The
economy of Telangana Telangana is one of the fastest-growing states in India posing Economic growth, average annual growth rate of 13.90% over the last five years. Telangana's Nominal GDP, nominal gross state domestic product for the year 2023-24 stands at ₹15.2 ...
is the eighth largest in India, with a
gross state domestic product Gross regional domestic product (GRDP), gross domestic product of region (GDPR), or gross state product (GSP) is a statistic that measures the size of a region's economy. It is the aggregate of gross value added (GVA) of all resident producer unit ...
(GSDP) of and has a GSDP per capita of for the financial year 2024–25. Telangana has emerged as a major focal point for IT software companies,
industry Industry may refer to: Economics * Industry (economics), a generally categorized branch of economic activity * Industry (manufacturing), a specific branch of economic activity, typically in factories with machinery * The wider industrial sector ...
and the
services sector The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the ...
. The state is also the main administrative center of many
Indian defence In the game of chess, Indian Defence or Indian Game is a broad term for a group of chess opening, openings characterised by the moves: : 1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. d4, d4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...Nf6, Nf6 They are all to varying degrees ...
aerospace and research labs including
Bharat Dynamics Limited Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is one of India's manufacturers of ammunitions and missile systems. It was founded in 1970 in Hyderabad, India. BDL has been working in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation and foreig ...
,
Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) is a research laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Defence Research Complex, Kanchanbagh, Hyderabad. It is responsible for the development and manufa ...
,
Defence Research and Development Organisation The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, head ...
and
Defence Research and Development Laboratory Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) is an Indian missile development laboratory, part of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Their charter is centered on the design, development, and flight evaluation of va ...
.


Etymology

One popular etymology derives the word "Telangana" from '' Trilinga desha'' ("land of three lingas"). The region is named after 3 prominent
Shaivite Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. It is the second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million Hindus, found widely across South Asia (predominantly in ...
shrines present in it:
Kaleshwaram Kaleshwaram is a village in Mahadevpur Mandal in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in the Indian state of Telangana. This name refers more broadly to the state of Telangana & Kaleshwaram Temple. Kaleshwaram is at the juncture of the rivers Go ...
(present day Telangana),
Srisailam Srisailam is a census town in Nandyal district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the mandal headquarters of Srisailam mandal in Atmakur revenue division, Nandyal district, Atmakur revenue division. It is located about from the distri ...
and
Draksharama Draksharamam or Daksharamam is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva and also 12th of Ashtadasha Shakthi Peetams. The temple is located in Draksharamam town of Konaseema district in the Indian state of A ...
(present day
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
). According to Jayadheer Tirumala Rao, a historian, the name Telangana has Gondi origins. He asserts that it is derived from "Telangadh", which means "south" in Gondi Script and has been referred in "Gond script dating back to about 2000 years". One of the earliest recorded uses of a similar termis to foundin the name of
Malik Maqbul Tilangani Malik Maqbul (Yugandharudu), also referred to as Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani
D ...
(14th century CE), who was called the ''Tilangani'', which implies that he was from Telangana. He was the commander of the
Warangal Fort Warangal Fort is located in Warangal District, Telangana, India. It was the capital city of Kakatiya dynasty and the Musunuri Nayakas. The fort appears to have existed since at least the 12th century when it was the capital of the Kakatiyas. Th ...
(''Kataka Pāludu'') and later '' Wazir''— Minister under
Firuz Shah Tughlaq Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1309 – 20 September 1388), also known as Firuz III, was Sultan of Delhi from 1351 until his death in 1388. He succeeded his cousin Muhammad bin Tughlaq following the latter's death at Thatta, Sindh. His father was ...
. A 16th-century travel writer,
Firishta Firishta or Ferešte (), full name Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah Astarabadi (), was a Persian historian, who later settled in India and served the Deccan Sultans as their court historian. He was born in 1570 and died between 1611 and 1623. Life F ...
, recorded in his book:
During the just reign of Ibrahim Kootb Shah, ''Tulingana'', like
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, became the mart of the whole world. Merchants from Toorkistan, Arabia, and Persia resorted to it; and they met with such encouragement that they found in it inducements to return frequently. The greatest luxuries from foreign parts daily abounded at the king's hospitable board.
The word "Telinga" changed over time to "Telangana" and the name "Telangana" was designated to distinguish the predominantly Telugu-speaking region of the erstwhile
Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...
from its predominantly
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
-speaking one,
Marathwada Marathwada () is a geographical region of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurang ...
. It is also called "The land of Telugu people". After Asaf Jahi's ceded the Seemandhra region to the British, the rest of the
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
region retained the name Telangana and the other parts were called Madras Presidency's Circars and Ceded.


History

Throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages, the Telangana region was part of multiple Indian empires; such as the Mauryans,
Satavahanas The Satavahanas (; ''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras (also ''Andhra-bhṛtyas'' or ''Andhra-jatiyas'') in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavaha ...
,
Vishnukundinas The Vishnukundina dynasty (IAST: Viṣṇukuṇḍina, sometimes Viṣukuṇḍin) was an Indian dynasty that ruled over parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha and other parts of southern India between the 5th and ...
,
Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
,
Cholas The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...
,
Rashtrakutas The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal Indian polity ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta Indian inscriptions, inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing th ...
,
Kakatiyas The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was a Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their territory comprised much of the present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and p ...
,
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
,
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
and
Golconda Sultanate The Sultanate of Golconda (; ) was an early modern kingdom in southern India, ruled by the Persianate, Shia Islamic Qutb Shahi dynasty of Turkoman origin. After the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate, the Sultanate of Golconda was established i ...
. During the 17th-19th centuries, the region was ruled by the
Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...
s and
Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...
. In 1823, the Nizams ceded
Northern Circars The Northern Circars (also spelt Sarkars) was a division of British India's Madras Presidency. It consisted of a narrow slip of territory lying along the western side of the Bay of Bengal from 15° 40′ to 20° 17′ north latitude, in the pre ...
—(
Coastal Andhra Coastal Andhra, also known as Kosta Andhra (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kōstā Āndhra), is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, comprising the coastal districts of the state between the East ...
) and
Ceded Districts Ceded Districts is the name of an area in the Deccan, India that was 'ceded' to the British East India Company by the Nizam in 1800. The name was in use during the whole period of the British Raj, even though the denomination had no official w ...
—( Rayalseema) to
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
under a subsidiary alliance which reduced it to that of a landlocked princely state bounded on all sides by British India. Following the Indian Independence in 1947 the Hyderabad state joined the
Union of India Union of India or Indian Union may refer to: * The country of India * Dominion of India (1947–1950), which was also known as the Union of India * The Government of India, which "may sue or be sued by the name" of ''Union of India'', as per Articl ...
in 1948 after a
police action In security studies and international relations, a police action is a military action undertaken without a formal declaration of war. In the 21st century, the term has been largely supplanted by " counter-insurgency". Since World War II, formal ...
. In 1956, the Hyderabad State was dissolved and its Telugu-speaking region Telangana was merged with the
Andhra State Andhra State (IAST: ; ), 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 – Rayalas ...
to form
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
. A peasant-driven movement began to advocate for separation from Andhra Pradesh starting in the early 1950s, and continued until Telangana was granted statehood on 2 June 2014. The historic city
Golconda Golconda is a fortified citadel and ruined city located on the western outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparudra in the 11th century out of mud walls. It was ceded to the Bahmani ...
in Hyderabad established itself as a diamond trading centre, and until the end of the 19th century the Golconda market was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world. Thus, the legendary name Golconda Diamonds became synonymous with Golconda itself.


Early history

From 230 BCE to 220 CE, the
Satavahana dynasty The Satavahanas (; ''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras (also ''Andhra-bhṛtyas'' or ''Andhra-jatiyas'') in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavaha ...
became the dominant power in this area. It originated from the lands between the Godavari and Krishna rivers and was based at Amaravathi and Dharanikota. After the decline of the Satavahanas, various dynasties, such as the
Vakataka The Vakataka dynasty () was an ancient Indian dynasty that originated from the Deccan in the mid-3rd century CE. Their state is believed to have extended from the southern edges of Malwa and Gujarat in the north to the Tungabhadra River in the ...
,
Vishnukundina The Vishnukundina dynasty (IAST: Viṣṇukuṇḍina, sometimes Viṣukuṇḍin) was an Indian dynasty that ruled over parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha and other parts of southern India between the 5th and ...
,
Chalukya The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
,
Rashtrakuta The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal Indian polity ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their rule from Manapu ...
and
Western Chalukya The Western Chalukya Empire ( ) ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan i ...
, ruled the area.


Medieval period

The Telangana area experienced its golden age during the reign of the
Kakatiya dynasty The Kakatiya dynasty (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kākatīya) was a Andhras, Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan Plateau, Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their ter ...
, which ruled most parts of the present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from 1083 to 1323 CE.
Rudrama Devi Rudrama Devi (reigned 1262–November 1289), also known by her regnal name Rudra-deva Maharaja, was a Kakatiya Queen regnant who ruled substantial parts of present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in southern India. She was among the few s ...
and
Prataparudra II Pratāparudra (r. c. 1289–1323) was the last monarch of the Kakatiya dynasty of India. He ruled the eastern part of Deccan, with his capital at Warangal. Prataparudra succeeded his grandmother Rudrama as the Kakatiya monarch. In the first ...
were prominent rulers from the Kakatiya dynasty. The dynasty weakened with the attack of
Malik Kafur Malik Kafur (died February 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan Jalesari, Nusrat Khan during the Alauddin Khalji's co ...
in 1309 and was dissolved after the defeat of Prataparudra by the forces of
Muhammad bin Tughluq Muhammad bin Tughluq (; ; 1290 – 20 March 1351), or Muhammad II, also named Jauna Khan as Crown Prince, further known by his epithets, The Eccentric Prince, or The Mad Sultan, was the eighteenth Sultan of Delhi. He reigned from 4 February 1 ...
in 1323. The area came under the rule of the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
in the 14th century, followed by the
Bahmani Sultanate The Bahmani Kingdom or the Bahmani Sultanate was a late medieval Persianate kingdom that ruled the Deccan plateau in India. The first independent Muslim sultanate of the Deccan, the Bahmani Kingdom came to power in 1347 during the rebellio ...
. Quli Qutb Mulk, a governor of Golconda, revolted against the Bahmani Sultanate and established the
Qutb Shahi dynasty The Sultanate of Golconda (; ) was an early modern kingdom in southern India, ruled by the Persianate, Shia Islamic Qutb Shahi dynasty of Turkoman origin. After the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate, the Sultanate of Golconda was established ...
in 1518. On 21 September 1687, the Golconda Sultanate came under the rule of the Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
after a year-long siege of the Golconda fort. During the early seventeenth century a strong cotton-weaving industry existed in Telangana. Large quantities of cotton were produced for domestic and exports consumption. High quality plain and patterned cloth made of muslin and calico was produced. In 1712,
Qamar-ud-din Khan Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich Qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the first Nizam of Hyderabad. He began his career during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, w ...
was appointed by emperor
Farrukhsiyar Farrukhsiyar (; 20 August 16839 April 1719), also spelled as Farrukh Siyar, was the tenth Mughal emperors, Mughal Emperor from 1713 to 1719. He rose to the throne after deposing his uncle Jahandar Shah. He was an emperor only in name, with all ...
as the viceroy of Deccan with the title ''Nizam-ul-Mulk'' (meaning "Administrator of the Realm"). He was later recalled to Delhi, with Mubariz Khan appointed as the viceroy. In 1724, Qamar-ud-din Khan defeated Mubariz Khan to reclaim the ''Deccan suba,'' establishing it as an autonomous province of the Mughal empire. He took the name ''Asif Jah'', starting what came to be known as the
Asaf Jahi dynasty The Asaf Jahi is a Muslim dynasty that ruled the Hyderabad State. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Indo-Persian culture, language, and literature, and the ...
. He named the area
Hyderabad Deccan Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...
. Subsequent rulers retained the title ''Nizam ul-Mulk'' and were called Asif Jahi Nizams or
nizams of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I ...
. Hyderabad Nizams remained the tributary of marathas after suffering series of defeats paying annual chauth in return for retaining their domain. The
Medak Medak, formerly known as Siddapuram, is a town in Medak district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Medak mandal in Medak revenue division. Etymology and History Medak was originally named ''Met ...
and
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 811,844 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal serv ...
divisions of Telangana were part of their realm. When Asif Jah I died in 1748, there was political unrest due to contention for the throne among his sons, who were aided by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces. In 1769, Hyderabad city became the formal capital of the Nizams. The Nizam Nasir-ud-dawlah, Asaf Jah IV signed the
subsidiary alliance A subsidiary alliance, in South Asian history, was a tributary alliance between an Indian state and a European East India Company. Under this system, an Indian ruler who formed an agreement with the company in question would be provided wit ...
with the British in 1799 and lost its control over the state's defence and foreign affairs. All of the Telugu speaking regions of modern Telangana, Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were all under the rule of Asaf Jahi I. However, after the second monarch, Nizam Ali Khan (1762-1803), signed the Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance with the British in 1798, the rulers were soon under financial duress as the state had to pay the British East India Company lakhs of rupees a year to maintain the foreign troops. The Nizam’s government kept borrowing money from
Palmer and Company Palmer may refer to: People and fictional characters * Palmer (pilgrim), a medieval European pilgrim to the Holy Land * Palmer (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Palmer (surname), including a list of people and fi ...
in the first half of the 19th century, which it could not pay back. Instead, the EIC paid-off the bank, and in return took away the present day Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions away from the Nizams, which were since then referred to as Circars (which means the region sold to the British lords) and Ceded, respectively. Hyderabad State became a princely state among the
presidencies and provinces of British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. In 1787, heavy flooding killed over 20,000, causing a plague which killed about 10,656 people in Telangana.


Modern period

When India became independent from the British Empire in 1947, the
Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...
did not want to merge with the Indian Union and wanted to remain independent. The
Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
annexed Hyderabad State on 17 September 1948 after a military operation called
Operation Polo The Annexation of Hyderabad (code-named Operation Polo) was a military operation launched in September 1948 that resulted in the annexation of the princely state of Hyderabad by India, which was dubbed a "police action". At the time of part ...
. It appointed a civil servant, M. K. Vellodi, as first chief minister of
Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...
on 26 January 1950. He administered the state with the help of English-educated bureaucrats from the
Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...
and
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
states, who were familiar with British systems of administration unlike the bureaucrats of Hyderabad State who used a completely different administrative system. The official language of the state was switched from
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
to English. In 1952, Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was elected chief minister of the Hyderabad State in its first democratic election. During this time, there were violent agitations by some Telanganites to send the Madras state bureaucrats back and implement a rule by the natives (''mulkis'') of Hyderabad (Syed Alam Sharjil) was elected chief minister of Hyderabad after (Dr. Burgula Ramakrishana Rao) for one year after he resigned from the post. The
Telangana Rebellion The Telangana Rebellion of 1946–1951 was a communist-led insurrection of peasants against the princely state of Hyderabad in the region of Telangana that escalated out of agitations in 1944–1946. Hyderabad was a feudal monarchy where mo ...
was a
peasant revolt This is a chronological list of revolts organized by peasants. Background The history of peasant wars spans over two thousand years. A variety of factors fueled the emergence of the peasant revolt phenomenon, including: * Tax resistance * So ...
supported by the
communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
s. It originated in the Telangana regions of the
Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...
between 1946 and 1951, led by the
Communist Party of India The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI considers the Foundation of the Communist Party of India, December 26, 1925 Cawnpore (Kanpur) conference as its foundation date. Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led m ...
 (CPI). The revolt began in the
Nalgonda district Nalgonda district is a district in the Telangana state of India. Nalgonda district has the highest number of mandals in the state with 31 mandals. The district shares boundaries with Suryapet district, Suryapet, Rangareddy, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, ...
against the
feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...
lords of
Reddy Reddy (also Hunterian transliteration, transliterated as Reddi or Raddi; also known as Reddiar or Reddappa) is a Telugu people, Telugu Hindu Caste system in India, caste predominantly found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in Sou ...
and
Velama Velama are a Hindu caste found mainly in Telangana and AP. The term "Velama" was first recorded for the community in a 17th century inscription. The text "Velugoti Vari Vamsavali" documents the medieval military history of Velama rulers. Orig ...
castes. It quickly spread to the
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 811,844 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal serv ...
and
Bidar Bidar ( ) is a city and headquarters of the Bidar district in Karnataka state of India. Bidar is a prominent place on the archaeological map of India, it is well known for architectural, historical religious and rich heritage sites. Pictures ...
districts. Peasant farmers and labourers revolted against the local feudal landlords (''
jagir A jagir (), ( Hindustani: जागीर/جاگیر, ''Jāgīr''), ( Marathi: जहागीर, ''Jahāgīrá'') also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar ( Zamindar ...
dars'' and ''
deshmukh Deshmukh (IAST:Dēśamukh) is a historical title conferred to the rulers of a . It is used as a surname in certain regions of India, especially in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana and also in Andhra Pradesh and northern parts of ...
s'') and later against the Nizam Osman Ali Khan. The violent phase of the movement ended after the government of India's
Operation Polo The Annexation of Hyderabad (code-named Operation Polo) was a military operation launched in September 1948 that resulted in the annexation of the princely state of Hyderabad by India, which was dubbed a "police action". At the time of part ...
. Starting in 1951, the CPI shifted to a more moderate strategy of seeking to bring communism to India within the framework of Indian democracy. In December 1953, the
States Reorganisation Commission The States Reorganisation Commission of India (SRC) constituted by the Central Government of India in December 1953 to recommend the reorganization of state boundaries. In September 1955, after two years of study, the Commission, comprising Just ...
(SRC) was appointed to form states on a linguistic basis. An agreement was reached between Telangana leaders and Andhra leaders on 20 February 1956 to merge Telangana and Andhra with promises to safeguard Telangana's interests. After reorganisation in 1956, the region of Telangana was merged with
Andhra State Andhra State (IAST: ; ), 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 – Rayalas ...
to form Andhra Pradesh. Following this
Gentlemen's agreement A gentlemen's agreement, or gentleman's agreement, is an informal and legally non-binding wikt:agreement, agreement between two or more parties. It is typically Oral contract, oral, but it may be written or simply understood as part of an unspok ...
, the central government established the unified state of Andhra Pradesh on 1 November 1956. G.O 553 of 1959 from the united Andhra Pradesh state moved two revenue divisions of
Bhadrachalam Bhadrachalam is a census town in Bhadradri Kothagudem district in the Indian state of Telangana. It is an important Hindu pilgrimage town with the Bhadrachalam Temple of Rama, situated on the banks of Godavari River. It is located east of sta ...
from
East Godavari East Godavari is a district in the Coastal Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Its district headquarters is at Rajamahendravaram. Geography This district is surrounded by: * North East: Alluri Sitharama Raju district * North West: Eluru d ...
and
Aswaraopeta Aswaraopeta is a mandal in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau ...
from West Godavari to
Khammam Khammam is the city in Khammam district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the fourth largest city in the state. It is the headquarters of the Khammam district and Khammam Tehsil, mandal also. It is located about east of the state capital ...
for administrative convenience. There had been several movements to revoke the merger of Telangana and Andhra, major ones occurring in 1969, 1972, and 2009. The movement for a new state of Telangana gained momentum in the 21st century by an initiative of Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao from
Bharat Rashtra Samithi The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (; BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana and currently the primary opposition party in the state. It was founde ...
later joined by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC), including political leadership representing the Telangana area. On 9 December 2009 the government of India announced the process of formation of the Telangana state. Violent protests led by people in the
Coastal Andhra Coastal Andhra, also known as Kosta Andhra (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kōstā Āndhra), is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, comprising the coastal districts of the state between the East ...
and Rayalseema regions occurred immediately after the announcement, and the decision was put on hold on 23 December 2009. The movement continued in Hyderabad and other districts of Telangana. There were hundreds of claimed suicides, strikes, protests and disturbances to public life demanding separate statehood. On 30 July 2013, the Congress Working Committee unanimously passed a resolution to recommend the formation of a separate Telangana state. After various stages the bill was placed in the
Parliament of India The Parliament of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Government of India, Government of the Republic of India. It is a bicameralism, bicameral legislature composed of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok ...
in February 2014. In February 2014,
Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014, commonly known as the Telangana Act, is an Act of Indian Parliament that split the state of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and the residuary Andhra Pradesh state, as an outcome of the Telangana m ...
bill was passed by the
Parliament of India The Parliament of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Government of India, Government of the Republic of India. It is a bicameralism, bicameral legislature composed of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok ...
for the formation of Telangana state, comprising ten districts from north-western Andhra Pradesh. The bill received the assent of the
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
and was published in the
Gazette A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper. In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
on 1 March 2014. The state of Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014.
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (born 17 February 1954), frequently known by his initials KCR, is an Indian politician currently representing the Gajwel Assembly constituency and serving as the leader of the opposition in the Telangana Legislati ...
was elected as the first chief minister of Telangana, following elections in which the
Bharat Rashtra Samithi The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (; BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana and currently the primary opposition party in the state. It was founde ...
party secured a majority.
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
would remain as the joint capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a period. Within the decade, Hyderabad would become the capital of the state of Telangana, and a new capital was selected for Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh picked
Amaravati Amaravati ( , Telugu language, Telugu: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Guntur district on the right bank of the Krishna River, southwest of Vijayawada. The city derives its name from the nearby his ...
as its capital and relocated its secretariat in 2016 and its legislature in 2017.


Geography

Telangana is situated on the
Deccan Plateau The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura Range, Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound ...
, in the central stretch of the eastern seaboard of the Indian Peninsula. It covers . The region is drained by two major rivers, with about 79% of the
Godavari River The Godavari (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganges River, Ganga River and drains the third largest Drainage basin, basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. It ...
catchment area and about 69% of the
Krishna River The Krishna River in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau is the third-longest in India, after the Ganga, Ganga and Godavari. It is also the fourth-largest in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganga, Indus and Godav ...
catchment area, but most of the land is arid. Telangana is also drained by several minor rivers such as the
Bhima Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the ...
, the
Maner Maner, also known as Maner Sharif, is a historic town and a block in Patna district of Bihar, India. Situated approximately 24 km west of Patna on NH-922, it is renowned for its Mughal-era dargahs and as an important Sufi pilgrimage center. ...
, the
Manjira The ''taal'' or ''manjira'' (also spelled ''manjīrā'' or ''manjeera''), ''jalra'', ''karatala'', ''kartal'' or ''gini'' is a pair of clash cymbals, originating in the Indian subcontinent, which make high-pitched percussion sounds. In its ...
, the Musi, and the
Tungabhadra The Tungabhadra River () starts and flows through the state of Karnataka, India, for most of its course, then through Andhra Pradesh where it ultimately joins the Krishna River near Murvakonda. The Tungabhadra derives its name from two strea ...
. The annual rainfall is between 900 and 1500mm in northern Telangana and 700 to 900mm in southern Telangana, from the southwest
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
s. Telangana contains various soil types, some of which are red sandy loams (Chalaka), Red loamy sands (Dubba), lateritic soils, salt-affected soils, alluvial soils, shallow to medium black soils and very deep black cotton soils. These soil types allow the planting of a variety of fruits and vegetable crops such as mangoes, oranges, coconut, sugarcane, paddy, banana and flower crops.


Climate

Telangana is a semi-arid area and has a predominantly hot and dry climate. Summers start in March, and peak in mid-April with average high temperatures in the range. The
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...
arrives in June and lasts until Late-September with about 755 mm (29.7 inches) of precipitation. A dry, mild winter starts in late November and lasts until early February with little humidity and average temperatures in the range.


Ecology

The
Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests The Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests in Western and Southern India, containing large protected areas of natural tiger habitat. Distribution The Deccan Plateau is a large triangular plateau in southern India, bounded by the Wester ...
ecoregion covers much of the state, including Hyderabad. The characteristic vegetation is woodlands of ''
Hardwickia binata ''Hardwickia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the subfamily Detarioideae of the legume family, Fabaceae. The only species is the anjan, ''Hardwickia binata'', a tree which is native to India and Bangladesh, and which grows to height ...
'' and ''
Albizia amara ''Albizia'' is a genus of more than 160 species of mostly fast-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae. The genus is pantropical, occurring in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, America and A ...
''. Over 80% of the original forest cover has been cleared for agriculture, timber harvesting, or cattle grazing, but large blocks of forest can be found in
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the largest tiger reserve in India encompassing an area of in five districts: Nandyal, Prakasam, Palnadu, Nalgonda and Mahabub Nagar districts of Andhra Pradesh. Its core area is . Geography The h ...
and elsewhere. The more humid Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests cover the
Eastern Ghats The Eastern Ghats is a mountain range that stretches along the East Coast of India, eastern coast of the Indian peninsula. Covering an area of , it traverses the states and union territories of India, states of Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Prade ...
in the eastern part of the state.


National parks and sanctuaries

Telangana has three
National Parks A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
: Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park in Hyderabad district, and
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park is a deer national park located in Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is spread over 3605 acres. It is the largest green lung space in the city of Hyderabad. History The park was named aft ...
and Mrugavani National Park in
Ranga Reddy district Ranga Reddy district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district headquarters is located at Kongara Kalan Village, Ibrahimpatnam Mandal. The district was named after the former deputy chief minister of the United Andhra Prade ...
. Wildlife sanctuaries in Telangana include Eturunagaram Wildlife Sanctuary and Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary in
Warangal District Warangal district (formerly Warangal Rural district) is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district shares boundaries with Mahabubabad, Jangaon, Hanamkonda, Mulugu and Bhupalpally districts. As of June 2021, Hanamkonda tenta ...
, Kawal Tiger Reserve and Pranahita Wildlife Sanctuary in
Adilabad district Adilabad district is a district in the northern area of Telangana, India. It is known as the gateway district to South India. The district's headquarters is the town of Adilabad. Adilabad district is bounded by Asifabad district to the east, ...
,
Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest located in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Telangana, India. The wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of with the picturesque Kinnerasani Lake with densely forested islands in the middle of the ...
in Khammam district,
Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary Manjira wildlife sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and reservoir located in the Sangareddy district of Telangana State, India. Originally a crocodile sanctuary developed to protect the vulnerable species mugger crocodile, today it is home to m ...
in
Medak district Medak district is located in the western region of the Indian state of Telangana. Medak is the district headquarters. The district shares boundaries with Sangareddy, Kamareddy, Siddipet and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. History Traces of ...
,
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the largest tiger reserve in India encompassing an area of in five districts: Nandyal, Prakasam, Palnadu, Nalgonda and Mahabub Nagar districts of Andhra Pradesh. Its core area is . Geography The h ...
in
Nalgonda Nalgonda is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Telangana. It is the headquarters of the Nalgonda district, as well as the headquarters of the Nalgonda mandal in the Nalgonda revenue division. It is located about from the state c ...
and
Mahbubnagar district Mahabubnagar district, also known as Palamuru district, is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. Mahbubnagar, Mahabubnagar is the district headquarters which is popularly known as Palamoor. The district shares boundaries with Narayanapet ...
s,
Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest and wildlife sanctuary located from Medak and from Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Spanning over , in the districts of Nizamabad and Medak, it was a former hunting ground of the Nizam that was declared a wi ...
in Medak and Nizamabad districts,
Shivaram Wildlife Sanctuary Shivaram Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife preserve in India located in Mancherial district of Telangana and is located 10 km from Manthani, 40 km from Peddapalli, 80 km from Karimnagar and 30 km from Godavarikhani. This riverine fo ...
in
Karimnagar district Karimnagar district, also known as Elagandula district, is one of the 33 districts of the Indian state of Telangana. Karimnagar city is its administrative headquarters. The district shares boundaries with Peddapalli district, Peddapalli, Jagitya ...
.
Sacred groves Sacred groves, sacred woods, or sacred forests are groves of trees that have special religious importance within a particular culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures throughout the world. These are forest areas that are, for the most ...
are small areas of forest preserved by local people. Sacred groves provide sanctuary to the local flora and fauna. Some are included within other protected areas, like Kadalivanam in Nagarjunsagar–Srisailam Tiger Reserve, but most stand alone. There are 65 sacred groves in Telangana—two in Adilabad district, thirteen in Hyderabad district, four in Karimnagar district, four in
Khammam district Khammam district is a district in the eastern region of the Indian state of Telangana. The city of Khammam is the district headquarters. The district shares boundaries with Suryapet district, Suryapet, Mahabubabad district, Mahabubabad, Bhadra ...
, nine in Mahbubnagar district, four in
Medak district Medak district is located in the western region of the Indian state of Telangana. Medak is the district headquarters. The district shares boundaries with Sangareddy, Kamareddy, Siddipet and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. History Traces of ...
, nine in Nalgonda district, ten in
Ranga Reddy district Ranga Reddy district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district headquarters is located at Kongara Kalan Village, Ibrahimpatnam Mandal. The district was named after the former deputy chief minister of the United Andhra Prade ...
, and three in Warangal district.


Demographics


Language

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
, one of the
classical languages of India The Indian Classical languages, or the Śāstrīya Bhāṣā ''(Hindi)'' or the Dhrupadī Bhāṣā (''Assamese, Bengali'') or the Abhijāta Bhāṣā (''Marathi'') or the Cemmoḻi (''Tamil''), is an umbrella term for the languages of India ha ...
, is the official language of Telangana and
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
is the second official language of the state. About 75% of the population of Telangana speak
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
and 12% speak
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
. Before 1948, Urdu was the official language of
Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...
, and due to a lack of Telugu-language educational institutions, Urdu was the language of the educated elite of Telangana. After 1948, once Hyderabad State joined the new Republic of India, Telugu became the language of government, and as Telugu was introduced as the
medium of instruction A medium of instruction (plural: media of instruction, or mediums of instruction) is a language used in teaching. It may or may not be the official language of the country or territory. If the first language of students is different from the offic ...
in schools and colleges, the use of Urdu among non-
Hyderabadi Muslims Hyderabadi Muslims, also referred to as Hyderabadis, are a community of Deccani people, from the area that used to be the princely state of Hyderabad in the regions of Marathwada, Telangana, and Kalyana-Karnataka. While the term "Hyderabad ...
decreased. Both Telugu and Urdu are used in services across the state, such as the
Telangana Legislature The Telangana Legislature is the state legislature of the Indian state of Telangana. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and is composed of an *Appointed Governor of Telangana *The indirectly-elected Telangana Shasana Man ...
website, with Telugu and Urdu versions of the website available, as well as the Hyderabad metro, wherein both languages are used on station names and signs along with English and Hindi. The Urdu spoken in Telangana is called
Hyderabadi Urdu Hyderabadi Urdu () is a variety of Dakhini Urdu, spoken in areas of the former Hyderabad State, corresponding to the Indian state of Telangana, the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka. It is nati ...
, which in itself is a dialect of the larger
Dakhini Deccani ( ''dakanī'' or ''dakhanī''; also known as Deccani Urdu, Deccani Hindi, and Deccani Hindustani) is an Indo-Aryan language variety based on a form of Hindustani spoken in the Deccan region of south-central India and is the native lan ...
Urdu dialects of South India. Although the language is spoken by most Hyderabadi Muslims, the language in a literary context has long been lost, and standard Urdu is used. Hindi is spoken mainly in Hyderabad, as well as some other urban areas like Warangal.
Lambadi Lambadi, Lambani, Lamani or Banjari is a Western Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Banjara people across India. The language does not have a native script. Regional dialects are divided between the Banjara of Maharashtra (written in Devanaga ...
, a language related to
Rajasthani dialects The Rajasthani languages are a group of Western Indo-Aryan languages, primarily spoken in Rajasthan and Malwa, and adjacent areas of Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in India and South Punjab and the adjacent areas of Sindh in Pakistan. Th ...
, is used across the state.
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
is predominant in regions bordering Maharashtra, especially in the old
Adilabad district Adilabad district is a district in the northern area of Telangana, India. It is known as the gateway district to South India. The district's headquarters is the town of Adilabad. Adilabad district is bounded by Asifabad district to the east, ...
, while
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
is spoken by significant minorities along some parts of the Karnataka border. The old
Adilabad district Adilabad district is a district in the northern area of Telangana, India. It is known as the gateway district to South India. The district's headquarters is the town of Adilabad. Adilabad district is bounded by Asifabad district to the east, ...
has a large number of speakers of tribal languages such as Gondi and
Kolami Kolami (Northwestern Kolami/Southeastern Kolami) is a tribal Central Dravidian language spoken in Maharashtra and Telangana states of India. It falls under the Kolami–Naiki group of languages. It is the most widely spoken Central Dravidian l ...
, while Koya is a language spoken by significant numbers in Bhadradi Kothagudem district and along the Chhattisgarh border. Telangana ranked eighth in the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025, with a score of 43.6.


Religion and culture

According to the 2011 census,
Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
form 85.1% of the state's population. Muslims form 12.7% and
Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
form 1.3%. Religious edifices like the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple in
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The administrative headquarters is located at Bhuvanagiri which is also known as Bhongiri. The district shares boundaries with Suryapet, Nalgonda, Jangaon, Siddipe ...
, Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad, the ancient
Bhadrakali Temple Bhadrakali Temple ( Nepali :भद्रकाली मन्दिर) is a temple on the East of Pokhara in Kundahar, atop a small hill. It is dedicated to the Goddess Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hind ...
and Govinda Rajula Gutta in Warangal,
Alampur Jogulamba Temple Jogulamba Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Jogulamba, a form of Shakti located in Alampuram, Telangana, India. The temple is one of the Maha Shakti Peethas, a group of eighteen (Ashtadasa) temples considered the most significant s ...
in
Jogulamba Gadwal district Jogulamba Gadwal district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The administrative headquarters of the district is located at Gadwal. The district shares boundaries with Narayanpet district, Narayanpet, Wanaparthy district, Wanaparthy d ...
and Medak Cathedral, Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy Temple, Kothakonda Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, Lord Shiva temple in Vemulawada of Rajanna-Sircilla district are several of its most famous places of worship. Buddhism also flourished in the region and many Aramams can be found.
Hyderabadi cuisine Hyderabadi cuisine (native: ''Hyderabadi Ghizaayat''), also known as Deccani cuisine, is the cooking style characteristic of the city of Hyderabad and its surrounding area in Telangana, India. Hyderabadi cuisine is an amalgamation of South A ...
and
Kakatiya architecture Kakatiya architecture was a notable Vesara Architecture Style temple building architecture developed during the rule of the Kakatiya dynasty (1163–1323 CE), in the region comprising present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states of India. Th ...
both from Telangana, are on the list of creativity UNESCO creative city of gastronomy and
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. The cultural centers of Telangana, Hyderabad and Warangal, are noted for their wealth and renowned historical structures – Ramappa Temple (
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
),
Charminar The Charminar () is a monument located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana. The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a m ...
,
Qutb Shahi Tombs The Qutub Shahi tombs are a series of Islamic tombs and mosques built by the various kings of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Qutub Shahi dynasty, located in the Ibrahim Bagh (garden precinct), close to the famous Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, India, Hy ...
,
Falaknuma Palace Falaknuma is a former palace and currently a luxury hotel in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It originally belonged to the Paigah (Hyderabad), Paigah family, and was later owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. It is on a hillock and covers a area in F ...
,
Chowmahalla Palace Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat is the palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizams of Hyderabad State located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was the seat of power of the Asaf Jahi dynasty (1720-1948) and was the official residence of the Niza ...
,
Warangal Fort Warangal Fort is located in Warangal District, Telangana, India. It was the capital city of Kakatiya dynasty and the Musunuri Nayakas. The fort appears to have existed since at least the 12th century when it was the capital of the Kakatiyas. Th ...
,
Kakatiya Kala Thoranam Kakatiya Kala Thoranam (also called Warangal Gate) is a historical arch in the Warangal district, of the Indian state of Telangana. The Warangal Fort has four ornamental gates which originally formed the gates to the ruins of the great Shiva t ...
,
Thousand Pillar Temple The Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreswara Swamy Temple is a historical Hindu temple located in the town of Hanamakonda, Telangana State, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thousand Pillar Temple, along with Warangal For ...
and the Bhongir Fort.


Literacy

According to the 2011 census, Telangana's literacy rate is 66.46%. Male literacy and female literacy are 74.95% and 57.92%, respectively. Hyderabad district has the highest literacy rate with 80.96% and
Mahabubnagar district Mahabubnagar district, also known as Palamuru district, is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. Mahabubnagar is the district headquarters which is popularly known as Palamoor. The district shares boundaries with Narayanapet, Vikarabad ...
has the lowest with 56.06%. In a 2019 report, the ''Key Indicators of Household Social Consumption on Education in India'', by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Telangana has a literacy rate of 72.8% which is the fourth lowest among large states. It also has the second lowest literacy rate among rural women at 53.7%. 37.1% of the population aged 3–35 years received free education at pre-primary and higher levels in Telangana.


Administrative divisions

The state is divided into 33 districts. The latest two new districts, Mulugu and Narayanpet, were formed on 17 February 2019. The districts are divided into 70 revenue divisions which are further divided into 584 mandals. There are a total of 10,909 revenue villages in the state. Each district is administered by a
District Collector The district magistrate, also known as the district collector or deputy commissioner, is a career civil servant who serves as the executive head of a district's administration in India. The specific name depends on the state or union territo ...
, each revenue division is headed by a Revenue Divisional Officer, and each mandal is managed by a Mandal Revenue Officer. The districts in the state are:


Local governments

There are a total of 12 cities in the state.
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
is the biggest city in the state and 4th largest city in India. There are 13 municipal corporations and 132 municipalities in the state for urban governance. Each local body has its own elected councils and members and executive staffs for governance and administration. There are 12,769 gram panchayats in the state for rural governance.


Government and politics

Telangana is governed by a
parliamentary system A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of t ...
of
representative democracy Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy or electoral democracy, is a type of democracy where elected delegates represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy. Nearly all modern Western-style democracies func ...
, a feature the state shares with other Indian states.
Universal suffrage Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the " one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion ...
is granted to residents. There are three branches of government. #
Executive authority The executive branch is the part of government which executes or enforces the law. Function The scope of executive power varies greatly depending on the political context in which it emerges, and it can change over time in a given country. In ...
is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...
, although the titular head of government is the
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
. The governor is the
head of state A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 "
he head of state He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...
being an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
appointed by the
President of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...
. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister. The Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly. # The legislature, the
Telangana Legislative Assembly The Telangana Legislative Assembly (ISO: ''Telangāṇa Śāsana Sabha'') is the lower house of the Telangana Legislature. The Legislative Assembly of Telangana currently consists of 119 elected members. The members of the ''Vidhana Sabha'' ...
and the
Telangana Legislative Council The Telangana Legislative Council or Telangana Śāsana Mandali is the upper house of the Telangana Legislature of the Indian state of Telangana; the lower house being the Telangana Legislative Assembly. It is situated in the state capital of ...
, consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, that are elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the speaker or the deputy speaker in the speaker's absence. The Assembly is
bicameral Bicameralism is a type of legislature that is divided into two separate Deliberative assembly, assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate ...
with 119
Members of the Legislative Assembly A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. The term most commonly refers to members of the legislature of a federated state or an autonomous region, but is also used for several nationa ...
and 40
Member of the Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the British ( ...
. Terms of office run for five years unless the Assembly is dissolved prior to the completion of the term. The Legislative Council is a permanent body with one-third of members retiring every two years. # The
judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...
is composed of the
High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad The Telangana High Court is the High Court for the Indian state of Telangana. Founded by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan, It was established as a High Court for the erstwhile Hyderabad State and in November 1956 after formati ...
and a system of lower courts. Auxiliary authorities known as '' panchayats'', for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. The state contributes seats to
Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...
. The main political parties in the regional politics are the
Bharat Rashtra Samithi The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (; BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana and currently the primary opposition party in the state. It was founde ...
,
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (; AIMIM) is a right-wing Indian political party based primarily in the old city of Hyderabad, It is also a significant political party in the Indian States of Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, ...
,
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major List of political parties in India, Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's ...
and
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
. Following the Telangana Legislative Assembly Election in 2023, the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
under
Anumula Revanth Reddy Anumula Revanth Reddy (born 8 November 1969) is an Indian politician who is serving as the second and current List of chief ministers of Telangana, Chief Minister of Telangana since 7 December 2023. As a member of the Indian National Congress, h ...
was elected to power.


Economy

The economy of Telangana is mainly driven by agriculture. Two important rivers of India, the
Godavari The Godavari (, od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga River and drains the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharash ...
and
Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
, flow through the state, providing irrigation. Farmers in Telangana mainly depend on rain-fed water sources for irrigation. Rice is the major food crop. Other important crops are cotton, sugar cane, mango, and tobacco. Recently, crops used for
vegetable oil Vegetable oils, or vegetable fats, are oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of edible plants. Like animal fats, vegetable fats are ''mixtures'' of triglycerides. Soybean oil, grape seed oil, and cocoa butter are examples of seed ...
production such as
sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a species of large annual forb of the daisy family Asteraceae. The common sunflower is harvested for its edible oily seeds, which are often eaten as a snack food. They are also used in the pr ...
and peanuts have gained favour. There are many multi-state irrigation projects in development, including
Godavari River Basin Irrigation Projects The Godavari River has its catchment area in seven states of India: Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha. The number of dams constructed in Godavari basin is the highest among all the river ...
and
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a masonry dam across the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar which straddles the border between Nalgonda district in Telangana and Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh. The dam provides irrigation water to the districts of Kr ...
, the world's highest masonry dam. The state has also started to focus on the fields of information technology and
biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
. Telangana is one of top IT-exporting states of India. There are 68 Special Economic Zones in the state. Telangana is a mineral-rich state, with coal reserves at
Singareni Collieries Company The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is a Government-owned corporation, government-owned-coal mining corporation in India. It is under the ownership of Government of Telangana, Department of Energy, Government of Telangana. The Uni ...
.


Agriculture

Rice is the major
food crop A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. In other words, a crop is a plant or plant product that is grown for a specific purpose such as food, fibre, or fuel. When plants of the same species ar ...
and
staple food A staple food, food staple, or simply staple, is a food that is eaten often and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for an individual or a population group, supplying a large fraction of energy needs an ...
of the state. Other important crops are maize, tobacco, mango, cotton and
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
. Agriculture has been the chief source of income for the state's economy. The
Godavari The Godavari (, od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga River and drains the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharash ...
and
Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
rivers flow through the state, providing
irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...
. Apart from major rivers, there are small rivers like Tunga Bhadra, Bima, Dindi, Kinnerasani, Manjeera, Manair, Penganga, Pranahitha, peddavagu and Taliperu. There are many multi-state irrigation projects in development, including
Godavari River Basin Irrigation Projects The Godavari River has its catchment area in seven states of India: Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha. The number of dams constructed in Godavari basin is the highest among all the river ...
and
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a masonry dam across the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar which straddles the border between Nalgonda district in Telangana and Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh. The dam provides irrigation water to the districts of Kr ...
, the world's highest masonry dam.
Agri Export Zone An Agri Export Zone or AEZ is a specific geographic region in a country demarcated for setting up agriculture based processing industries, mainly for export. The term is widely used mainly in India. AEZ are to be identified by the State Governmen ...
s for the following produce have been proposed for the following locations: *
Gherkin A pickled cucumber – commonly known as a pickle in the United States, Canada and Australia and a gherkin ( ) in Britain, Ireland, South Africa, and New Zealand – is a usually small or miniature cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, ...
s:
Mahabubnagar Mahbubnagar, also informally called as Palamoor and formerly Rukmammapeta, is a city in Mahbubnagar District of the Indian state of Telangana named after the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad, Mahboob Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of Mahbubnagar m ...
,
Rangareddy Ranga Reddy district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district headquarters is located at Kongara Kalan Village, Ibrahimpatnam Mandal. The district was named after the former deputy chief minister of the United Andhra Prade ...
,
Medak Medak, formerly known as Siddapuram, is a town in Medak district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Medak mandal in Medak revenue division. Etymology and History Medak was originally named ''Met ...
,
Karimnagar Karimnagar, also informally known as Elagandula, is a city and District Headquarters in the Indian state of Telangana. Karimnagar is a major urban agglomeration in the state. It is third largest City in the state and Municipal Corporation and i ...
,
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 811,844 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal serv ...
*
Mangoes A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast Asi ...
and
grapes A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...
: Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medak, Mahabubnagar In 2019, environmental anthropologist Andrew Flachs raised concerns regarding the financial and social pressures experienced by small cotton farmers in Telangana after conducting ethnographic research in the area. The GM (
genetically modified Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including th ...
) seeds he focused on were introduced to combat pests and low yields. Within 10 years, GM cottonseeds, which are solely bred by private breeders, were able to capture more than 90% of the Indian market, which was formerly a public market. The
privatisation Privatization (rendered privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation w ...
of seed brands in formerly public markets has been accompanied by
pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...
s,
fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...
s, consultations, and
herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...
s which are needed to manage the new
monoculture In agriculture, monoculture is the practice of growing one crop species in a field at a time. Monocultures increase ease and efficiency in planting, managing, and harvesting crops short-term, often with the help of machinery. However, monocultur ...
s. He found that this introduction, however, negatively impacted farmers’ ecological knowledge about seed choices and cotton-plant management.Flachs, A., 2019. Planting and performing: Anxiety, aspiration, and "scripts" in Telangana cotton farming. ''American Anthropologist'', ''121''(1), pp.48-61. Flachs surveyed farming households about their experiences with GM hybrid cottonseeds from 2012 to 2016. His research initially focused on the agricultural decision-making process among Telangana cotton farmers in the wake of genetically modified seed market expansion, then later on the concept of ''manci digubadi'' as a script. ''Manci digubadi'' means "good yields," with a more extended phrasing being "''manci digubadi annakunthunnanu''," which translates to "I’m hoping for good yields." The concept of ''manci digubadi,'' as described by Flachs, posits that seed choice should be made based on whether or not it has "good yields,"  which is dependent solely on what the individual believes is "good." Flachs further argues that this script is used in the absence of reliable experiential knowledge in the face of agricultural development and GMOs. This is because, in the pursuit of a good yield, cotton farmers learn little about the seeds they use before they switch to the next promising new brands, some of which have been smuggled in or bought on the
black market A black market is a Secrecy, clandestine Market (economics), market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality, or is not compliant with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services who ...
. Marketing, the constant influx of new options, and the fear of missing out on popular seeds also contribute to the high turnover. This high turnover and the resulting lack of experiential knowledge have resulted in cotton farmers unwittingly planting the same type of seed multiple times because they are under different brand names. In contrast to this, farmers adopt and abandon seeds from
public-sector The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, pub ...
-bred crops like rice and heirloom vegetables more slowly so they can rely more on experiential knowledge to make decisions. Telangana cotton farmers are at risk for debt and suicide caused by agricultural pressures such as unreliable credit, pest problems, and agricultural management uncertainty. Flachs argues that seed choices and the rationalisation behind the choice are central to the agricultural political economy, as seed choice is "the first decision that cotton farmers make and one that they cannot take back." Flachs argues that cotton seed choices are driven less by
economic rationalism Economic rationalism is an Australian term often used in the discussion of macroeconomic policy, applicable to the economic policy of many governments around the world, in particular during the 1980s and 1990s. Economic rationalists tend to favou ...
and more by an aspiration to overcome generational poverty and historical
marginalisation Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. In the EU context, the Euro ...
. Flachs found evidence in his work suggesting that many farmers' seed choices are influenced by the choices of their neighbours or more wealthy landowners. As an example of ''manci digubadi'' being used in place of experiential knowledge, Flachs gives the story of a farmer who had planted the Mahyco company's Neeraja cottonseed for nine years abandoned that seed in favour of Kaveri's Jaadoo seed after hearing reports that the Jaadoo seeds had done well in a neighbouring village. Farmers also seek advice from non-household experts such as pesticide shop managers and university extension agents. There is no objective cost-benefit analysis because the costs and benefits are ambiguous due to things variations of factors like weather and pests and farmers having no reliable measure for what constitutes a good yield for cotton.


Industries

Several major manufacturing and services industries are in operation mainly around
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
. Automobiles and auto components, spices, mines and minerals, textiles and apparels,
pharmaceutical Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
, horticulture, and poultry farming are the main industries in Telangana. In terms of services, Hyderabad is nicknamed " Cyberabad" due to the location of major software industries in the city. Prior to secession, it contributed 10% to India's and 98% to Andhra Pradesh's exports in the IT and ITES sectors in 2013 With Hyderabad in the front line of Telangana's goal to promote information technology in India, the city boasts the
HITEC City The Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy City (HITEC City) is an Indian business district, financial business district located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. HITEC City is spread across of land under the suburbs of Ma ...
as its premier hub. IT companies/hubs have also been set up in
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 811,844 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal serv ...
,
Karimnagar Karimnagar, also informally known as Elagandula, is a city and District Headquarters in the Indian state of Telangana. Karimnagar is a major urban agglomeration in the state. It is third largest City in the state and Municipal Corporation and i ...
, and
Khammam Khammam is the city in Khammam district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the fourth largest city in the state. It is the headquarters of the Khammam district and Khammam Tehsil, mandal also. It is located about east of the state capital ...
. The state government is in the process of developing industrial parks at different places, for specific groups of industries. The existing parks are Software Park at Hyderabad, HITEC City for software units, Apparel Park at Gundlapochampalli, Export Promotion Park at Pashamylaram, Biotechnology park at Turkapally. Hyderabad is also a major site for healthcare-related industries including hospitals and pharmaceutical organisations such as
Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) is a public hospital located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India and is named after its founder – the 7th Nizam of the erstwhile Hyderabad State– and was inaugurated by Princess Durreshehvar. It is an ...
, Yashoda Hospitals, LV Prasad Eye Care, Akruti Institute of cosmetic and plastic surgery, Fever Hospital, Durgabai Deshmukh,
Continental Hospitals Continental Hospitals is a multi-specialty hospital in India. It is founded by Dr. Guru N Reddy in 2013 in Hyderabad. History Continental Hospitals was founded by Dr Guru N Reddy in April 2013 in Hyderabad. DR Guru N Reddy is the first Asian p ...
and
Apollo Hospitals Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited is an Indian multinational healthcare group headquartered in Chennai. It is the largest for-profit private hospital network in India, with a network of 71 owned and managed hospitals. Along with the eponym ...
. Many pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-related companies like
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. is an Indian multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical company based in Hyderabad. The company was founded by Kallam Anji Reddy, who previously worked in the mentor institute Indian Drugs and Pharmace ...
,
Shantha Biotechnics Shantha Biotechnics Limited is an Indian biotechnology company headquartered in Hyderabad, India. It is the first Indian company to develop, manufacture and market Recombinant DNA, recombinant human healthcare products in India. The company is a ...
and Aragen (Formerly GVK BIO) are based out of Hyderabad. In addition, Hyderabad-based healthcare non-profits include the
Indian Heart Association The Indian Heart Association (IHA), along with the Indian Stroke Association (ISA), is an organization dedicated to raising cardiovascular and stroke health awareness among the South Asian population. The organisation was founded by Harvard Medi ...
, a cardiovascular disease NGO.


Tourism

Telangana Tourism Development Corporation The Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC) is a state government agency which promotes tourism in Telangana, India. Aims The aim of TGTDC is to provide infrastructure, conveyance and other facilities to tourists visiting Telangana. P ...
(TGTDC) is a state government agency which promotes tourism in Telangana. Telangana has a variety of tourist attractions including historical places, monuments, forts, waterfalls, forests and temples.


Waterfalls

*
Kuntala Waterfall Kuntala Waterfall is a waterfall of Telangana state in India, located on Kadam river in Neradigonda mandal of Adilabad district. It is the highest waterfall in the state with a height of 150 feet. There is a story behind the name of this wa ...
() is located in Kuntala,
Adilabad district Adilabad district is a district in the northern area of Telangana, India. It is known as the gateway district to South India. The district's headquarters is the town of Adilabad. Adilabad district is bounded by Asifabad district to the east, ...
. *
Bogatha Waterfall Bogatha Waterfall is a waterfall located on the Cheekupally stream, Wazeedu Mandal, Mulugu district, Telangana. It is located from Bhadrachalam, from Mulugu and from Warangal. The newly constructed Eturnagaram bridge on National Highway ...
is located in Koyaveerapuram G, Wazeedu Mandal,
Jayashankar Bhupalpally district Jayashankar Bhupalpally district is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district headquarters are located at Bhupalpally. It was a part of the erstwhile Warangal district and Karimnagar district prior to the re-organisation of distr ...
, Telangana. * Savatula Gundam Waterfalls in
Adilabad district Adilabad district is a district in the northern area of Telangana, India. It is known as the gateway district to South India. The district's headquarters is the town of Adilabad. Adilabad district is bounded by Asifabad district to the east, ...


Media

The print media mainly consists of Telugu and English newspapers. ''
Nava Telangana Nava Telangana () is a daily Telugu language newspaper in the Indian state of Telangana owned by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). It is published in Karimnagar, Khammam, Hyderabad, and Ranga Reddy. The party launched the news ...
'', '' Sakshi'', ''
Andhra Jyothi ''Andhra Jyothi'' (; ) is the third largest circulated Telugu language daily newspaper of India sold mostly in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It was founded by K. L. N. Prasad, an Industrialist on 1 July 1960. It is also one of t ...
'', ''
Eenadu ''Eenadu'' (; ) is the largest circulated Telugu-language daily newspaper In India predominantly distributed in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It was founded by Ramoji Rao in 1974 in Visakhapatnam and has been a significant presen ...
'' and '' Namaste Telangana'' are all Telugu newspapers. Mainly in English newspapers are ''
Deccan Chronicle ''Deccan Chronicle'' is an English-language daily newspaper based in Hyderabad, India. Founded in 1938, it was initially launched as a Weekly newspaper, weekly and later converted into a daily. The newspaper's name reflects its origins in the ...
'', ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'', ''The Hindu'', ''
Telangana Today ''Telangana Today'' is a registered English-language Indian daily newspaper headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The publication focuses mainly on politics and developments in the state of Telangana. The newspaper is published by Telanga ...
'' and ''The Hans India''. Notable Urdu newspapers include '' Etemaad Daily'', '' The Munsif Daily'', and ''
The Siasat Daily ''The Siasat Daily'' is an Indian newspaper published by the Siasat Press based in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana. It operates the digital news website ''Siasat'' and is the publisher of the ''Siasat English Weekly'' magazine and the ''Siasa ...
''.


Infrastructure


Irrigation projects


Public transport

The state is well connected with other states by means of road, rail and airways. The
Telangana State Road Transport Corporation The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (abbreviated as TGSRTC) is a state-owned corporation that runs bus transport services to and from the Indian state of Telangana. It was formed in 2014 by bifurcating the Andhra Pradesh State Ro ...
(TGSRTC) is the major public transport corporation that connects all the cities and villages.
Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station The Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS), also known as the Imlibun Bus Station (Imlibun means "grove of tamarind trees"), is a bus station on the Musi River in the Imlibun area of southern Hyderabad, India. It is owned by the Telangana State Road ...
(M.G.B.S) in
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
is the central bus-station of the state.
Jubilee Bus Station Jubilee Bus Station popularly known as JBS is a bus station located in Secunderabad, Telangana, India. It is one of the two main bus stations for buses leaving Hyderabad city, the other being MGBS. It is owned by the state-run bus transport c ...
in
Secunderabad Secunderabad () is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It is the headquarters of the South ...
serves inter city bus services.


Roadways

The state has a total of 16 national highways and accounts for a total length of .


Railways

The history of railways in this region dates back to the time of
Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...
in 1874. The
Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway (NGSR) was a railway company operating in India from 1883 to 1950. The company began with a line built privately by the HEH, the Nizam, which was owned and operated by the company under a guarantee from the Hy ...
, which had its beginnings in a line built privately by the HEH the
Nizam Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I ...
. Much to the dismay of the British authorities, The Nizam bore all the expenses for the construction of the line. It operates under the auspices of the
South Central Railway South Central Railway (abbreviated SCR) is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways. The jurisdiction of the zone is spread over the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka. It has three divisions under its administration, wh ...
founded in 1966. The landmark building Rail Nilayam in Secunderabad is the Zonal Headquarters office of South Central Railway.
Secunderabad Secunderabad () is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It is the headquarters of the South ...
and
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
are the main divisions of the South Central Railway that fall in the state.


Airports

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is an international airport that serves Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. It is located in Shamshabad, about south of Hyderabad and it was opened on 23 March 2008 to replace Begumpet ...
at
Shamshabad Shamshabad is a census town in the Indian state of Telangana. It is located in Shamshabad mandal of Rajendranagar revenue division. Sri Vendikonda Siddalingeswara Devastanam temple is situated in Siddulagutta Road in Shamshabad mandal. The inter ...
is an international airport serving the city of
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
. It is the largest airport in the state and one of the busiest airports in the country. The government has plans to upgrade
Warangal Airport Warangal Airport also Mamnoor Airport is located at Mamnoor, Warangal in the state of Telangana, India. The largest airport at the time, remained in service until 1981. The Government of Telangana is trying to revive the airport with some inst ...
,
Nizamabad Airport Nizamabad Airport is a proposed greenfield airport in Jakranpalli Mandal borders covering the lands of Manoharabad, Thorlikonda, Kolipak in Nizamabad district in the Indian state of Telangana. The project site is located on National Highway ...
and
Ramagundam Airport Ramagundam Airport is a proposed airport located at Kesoram Cement Factory in Basanth Nagar serving the city of Ramagundam, in the Indian state of Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in ...
- it also plans to construct airports in
Ramagundam Ramagundam is a city under Ramagundam Municipal Corporation, municipal corporation in Peddapalli district of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It is the most populous city in the district and falls under t ...
and
Kothagudem Kothagudem is a city in Telangana. It serves as the headquarters of the Bhadradri Kothagudem district of the Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entitie ...
using the
UDAN ''Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik'' (Hindi for "Let the common citizens of the country fly"), known by its acronym ''UDAN-RCS'' ('Udan' is Hindi for "flight") is a regional airport development program of the Government of India and part of the Regio ...
scheme.
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 811,844 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal serv ...
has a domestic airport in Mamunooru which was established in the year 1930 during the Nizam period. All the exports and imports of Azam Jahi Mills, Warangal were done through the
Warangal Airport Warangal Airport also Mamnoor Airport is located at Mamnoor, Warangal in the state of Telangana, India. The largest airport at the time, remained in service until 1981. The Government of Telangana is trying to revive the airport with some inst ...
.


Culture

The state has a rich tradition in classical music, painting and folk arts such as Burra Katha, shadow puppet show, and Perini Shivatandavam,Gusadi Dance, Kolatam and Bathukamma. The important festivals of the state are
Bonalu Bonalu (Telugu: బోనాలు) is a traditional Hindu festival centred on the Goddess Mahakali from Telangana. This festival is celebrated annually in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, as well as in other parts of the state. It ...
and
Bathukamma Bathukamma is a hindu flower-festival celebrated by the women of Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh. Every year this festival is celebrated as per the Sathavahana calendar for nine days starting on Pitru Amavasya, which usually coincid ...
.


Architecture

Badami Chalukya architecture is spread across the state, notable temple is
Alampur Jogulamba Temple Jogulamba Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Jogulamba, a form of Shakti located in Alampuram, Telangana, India. The temple is one of the Maha Shakti Peethas, a group of eighteen (Ashtadasa) temples considered the most significant s ...
.
Chalukyas of Vemulavada The Chalukyas of Vemulavada were an Indian dynasty that ruled in and around the present-day Telangana between 7th and 10th centuries. Their capital was located at Vemulawada, Karimnagar district, Vemulavada, and they were vassals of the Rasht ...
built many temples in Vemulawada, Bheemeshvara temple, Raja Rajeswara Temple, Vemulawada. Medieval forts such as the Bhongir Fort, Khammam Fort, and Rachakonda Fort are spread across the state. Among the notable ones is the
Warangal Fort Warangal Fort is located in Warangal District, Telangana, India. It was the capital city of Kakatiya dynasty and the Musunuri Nayakas. The fort appears to have existed since at least the 12th century when it was the capital of the Kakatiyas. Th ...
, which served as the capital of the
Kakatiya The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was a Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their territory comprised much of the present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and p ...
dynasty. The
Kakatiya Kala Thoranam Kakatiya Kala Thoranam (also called Warangal Gate) is a historical arch in the Warangal district, of the Indian state of Telangana. The Warangal Fort has four ornamental gates which originally formed the gates to the ruins of the great Shiva t ...
within the fort has become a symbol of Telangana, and features on the state emblem. Ramappa Temple is a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. The fort complex, and
Thousand Pillar Temple The Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreswara Swamy Temple is a historical Hindu temple located in the town of Hanamakonda, Telangana State, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thousand Pillar Temple, along with Warangal For ...
are on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Samsthanams built temples in Dravidian architecture,
Kollapur kollanpur Kollapur region is an area spanning the Nallamala Forest area on the banks of the river Krishna in the Nagarkurnool district, in the state of Telangana India. The Someswara, Sangameswara, and Malleswara temples are in this region, ...
, and Jataprole Samsthanams, Gadwal Samsthanam built temples in Dravidian architecture. The Qutb Shahi dynasty established the city of Hyderabad as their capital. The
Charminar The Charminar () is a monument located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana. The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a m ...
,
Golconda Fort Golconda is a fortified citadel and ruined city located on the western outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The fort was originally built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparudra in the 11th century out of mud walls. It was ceded to the Bahmani ...
, and
Qutb Shahi tombs The Qutub Shahi tombs are a series of Islamic tombs and mosques built by the various kings of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Qutub Shahi dynasty, located in the Ibrahim Bagh (garden precinct), close to the famous Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, India, Hy ...
in Hyderabad were built by the Qutb Shahi dynasty. The Nizam era saw the construction of palaces such as the
Chowmahalla Palace Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat is the palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizams of Hyderabad State located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was the seat of power of the Asaf Jahi dynasty (1720-1948) and was the official residence of the Niza ...
and
Falaknuma Palace Falaknuma is a former palace and currently a luxury hotel in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It originally belonged to the Paigah (Hyderabad), Paigah family, and was later owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. It is on a hillock and covers a area in F ...
, as well as elaborate public buildings such as the
Osmania General Hospital Osmania General Hospital (OGH) is one of the oldest hospitals in India located at Afzal Gunj, Hyderabad. It is named after its founder – Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad. It is run by the Government of Telangana, and is on ...
, all in Hyderabad.


Religious destinations

There are religious worship centres of different religions in the state. Hindu worship destinations include Bhadrachalam Temple,
Gnana Saraswati Temple Gnana Saraswati Temple () is a Hindu temple of Goddess Saraswati located on the banks of Godavari River at Basara, Telangana, India. It is one of the two famous Saraswati temples in the Indian subcontinent, the other being Sharada Peeth. Sarasw ...
, Yadagirigutta Temple, Ramappa Temple, Vemulawada Raja Rajeshwara temple, Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy Temple the
Thousand Pillar Temple The Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreswara Swamy Temple is a historical Hindu temple located in the town of Hanamakonda, Telangana State, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thousand Pillar Temple, along with Warangal For ...
, Statue of Equality (Ramanuja). The Muslim worship destinations such as Makkah Masjid near
Charminar The Charminar () is a monument located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana. The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a m ...
,
Khairtabad Mosque The Khairatabad Mosque is a mosque and adjacent tomb, located in Khairatabad, Hyderabad, in the Hyderabad district of the state of Telangana, India. The mosque was completed in the 17th century. In the late 20th century, the Khairatabad area b ...
, Mian Mishk Masjid,
Toli Masjid The Toli Masjid, also known as Damri Masjid, is a mosque in Hyderabad, in the Hyderabad district of the state of Telangana, India. It was constructed during the Qutb Shahi period and completed in . Built in the distinctive Qutb Shahi style, ...
and
Spanish Mosque The Spanish Mosque, also known as the ''Masjid Iqbal Ud Daula'' and the ''Jam e Masjid "Aiwan-E-Begumpet"'', is a mosque within Paigah Palace, in the Begumpet neighbourhood of Hyderabad, in the Hyderabad district of the state of Telangana, I ...
. Christian worship centres include the Diocese of Dornakal of the Church of South India, Bahe Church of South India, and Medak Cathedral. There are also some Buddhist destinations, such as Nelakondapalli, Dhulikatta, Phanigiri and Kolanpaka.


Cinema

Telugu cinema, also known by its sobriquet as Tollywood, is a part of
Indian cinema The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
producing films in the
Telugu language Telugu (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. Spoken by about 96 million people (2022), Telugu is the most widely spoken member of ...
, and is centred in the
Hyderabad, Telangana Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much of Hyderabad is sit ...
neighbourhood of
Film Nagar Film Nagar, also known as Tinsel Town or Tollywood, is a neighbourhood in the western part of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is notable for its place as the home of the entertainment industry, including several of Telugu cinema's historic stu ...
. In the early 1990s, the Telugu film industry had largely shifted from
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
to
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
. The Telugu film industry is the second-largest film industry in India next to
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
. In the years 2005, 2006 and 2008 the Telugu film industry produced the largest number of films in India, exceeding the number of films produced in Bollywood. The industry holds the Guinness World Record for the largest film production facility in the world.


Cuisine

Telangana cuisine is a unique and delicious cuisine that is influenced by the region's rich history of deccan and Telugu culture. The cuisine is known for its use of spices, millets, and rotis. Telangana cuisine also features a variety of other dishes, including biryani, haleem, and kebabs.


Visual arts

Indigenous art forms of Telangana include the Cheriyal scroll painting,
Nirmal paintings Nirmal Paintings are a popular form of paintings done in Nirmal in Nirmal District, Telangana, India. They form a small-scale industry in the town. The craftsmen have formed a community and stay at Nirmal and practice their art in the form of a ...
, and Karimnagar Silver Filigree. A distinctive
Persianate A Persianate society is a society that is based on or strongly influenced by the Persian language, culture, literature, art and/or identity. The term "Persianate" is a neologism credited to Marshall Hodgson. In his 1974 book, ''The Venture of I ...
style of painting, called
Deccan painting Deccan painting or Deccani painting is the form of Indian miniature painting produced in the Deccan region of Central India, in the various Muslim capitals of the Deccan sultanates that emerged from the break-up of the Bahmani Sultanate by 1520. ...
developed in the region during the medieval period. Notable museums in the state include the
Salar Jung Museum The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum located at Dar-ul-Shifa, on the southern bank of the Musi River, India, Musi River in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is one of the List of museums in India, notable National Museums of India. ...
in Hyderabad, which is one of the largest in India. Other museums include the Telangana State Archeology Museum,
City Museum City Museum is a museum whose exhibits consist largely of Repurposing, repurposed architectural and industrial objects, housed in the former International Shoe building in the Washington Avenue Loft District of St. Louis, Missouri, United Stat ...
, and
Nizam Museum Nizam's Museum or H.E.H Nizam's Museum is a museum located in Hyderabad at Purani Haveli, a palace of the erstwhile Nizams. This museum showcases the gifts that the last Nizam of Hyderabad State, Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII received on his ...
in Hyderabad, Warangal Museum in Warangal, and Alampur Museum in Alampur.


Education

Telangana has multiple institutes of higher education universities along with numerous primary and secondary schools. The Department of Higher Education deals with matters relating to education at various levels in the state of Telangana. According to a 2019 report, the state has a literacy rate of 72.8%, which is one of the lowest in India. Schools in Telangana are run by the state government or private organisations, which include religious institutions. Some specialised schools such as the
Kendriya Vidyalaya The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan () is a system of Government of India, central government schools in India. Governed by the Ministry of Education (India), Ministry of Education, Government of India. , it has a total of 1,257 schools in India, ...
s and
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) is a system of central schools for students predominantly from rural areas in India, targeting socially and economically backward students who lack access to accelerated learning due to financial, social and rura ...
s are run by agencies of the central government. , there are 41,337 schools in the state, with about 70% of them being government schools. Telangana is home to 27 universities, which include three central universities, 17
state universities A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, territory or federal district. These systems constitute the majority of universities in the country, serving by far the majority ...
, two
deemed universities Deemed university, or deemed-to-be-university, is an accreditation granted to higher educational institutions in India by the Department of Higher Education (India), Department of Higher Education. , the UGC lists 124 institutes which were granted ...
, and five
private universities Private universities and private colleges are higher education institutions not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. However, they often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and government grants. Depending on the count ...
. The
Osmania University Osmania University is a collegiate university, collegiate Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, issued a ''firman'' calling f ...
in Hyderabad, established in 1918, is the oldest modern university in the state, and one of the largest university systems in the world. The
University of Hyderabad The University of Hyderabad (UoH) is a prestigious public central research university located in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Established in 1974, this mostly residential campus has more than 5,000 students and 400 faculty, from ...
consistently ranks among the top universities in the country. Apart from these, specialised
Institutes of National Importance In India, an Institution of National Importance (INI) refers to a premier public higher education institution granted special status by an act of the Parliament of India. Such institutions are recognized for their pivotal role in developing high ...
in the state include
AIIMS Bibinagar All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibinagar (AIIMS Bibinagar) is a public medical college and hospital located in the villages of Rangapur and Kondamadugu Bibinagar mandal, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri District Hyderabad Metropolitan Region on ...
,
IIT Hyderabad The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-Hyderabad or IIT-H) is a public technical university located in Kandi near the Sangareddy district in the Indian state of Telangana. As with all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), IIT Hyd ...
, and
NIT Warangal The National Institute of Technology Warangal (NIT-Warangal or NIT-W) is a public technical and research university located in Warangal, India. It is recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India. The foundation s ...
. Other notable institutions include
Indian School of Business The Indian School of Business (ISB) is a private business school with campuses in Hyderabad and Mohali, India. It offers various post-graduate management programs. History The Indian School of Business (ISB) was started in 1996 by a bunch of b ...
, ICFAI Business School Hyderabad,
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTU Hyderabad) is a public university, located in Hyderabad, Telangana. Founded in 1965 as the Nagarjuna Sagar Engineering College, it was established as a university in 1972 by ''The Jawah ...
,
Kakatiya University Kakatiya University is a public university located in Hanumakonda district in the Indian state of Telangana. It was most recently accredited with an "A+" Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of India in the month of June ...
,
International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-Hyderabad or IIIT-H) is a premier deemed university, founded as a non-profit public-private partnership (N-PPP), located in Hyderabad, India. It is the first IIIT in India ...
,
NALSAR University of Law The National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) is a public law school and a National Law University located in Shamirpet, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, and is considered as one of the best law schools in the country. It is among t ...
,
Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) is a public university in the city of Warangal, Telangana, India. University is named after the poet and a political activist of the Telangana movement – Kaloji Narayana Rao. History ...
,
National Institute of Fashion Technology Hyderabad National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is an autonomous institute offering courses in fashion, technology, and management. Its head office is located in New Delhi, India. History NIFT was established in 1986 under the Ministry of Tex ...
,
Footwear Design and Development Institute Footwear Design and Development Institute is an educational institute headquartered in Sector-24, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. History FDDI was established under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India in 1986 with an ...
,
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad (NIPER Hyderabad) is an Indian public pharmaceutical research university. It is one of the seven schools under India's Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. The instit ...
, and
Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, Basar Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, Basara (RGUKT, Basara) sometimes referred as IIIT Basara is a state university in Basara, Nirmal district, Telangana, India. The university offers Undergraduate and Post Graduate degrees in v ...
, among others.


Sports

The
Hyderabad FC Hyderabad Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Hyderabad, Telangana. The club competes in the Indian Super League, the top flight of Indian football. Founded on 27 August 2019, the club began their first professional ...
is a professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club based in Hyderabad and plays in top-tier league of India, the
Indian Super League The Indian Super League (ISL) is a professional association football league in India and the highest level of the Indian football league system. Administered by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its commercial partner Football Sport ...
. The home ground of the club is G.M.C Balayogi Athletic Stadium, in
Gachibowli Gachibowli is a neighbourhood in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, located in the Serilingampally mandal of the Ranga Reddy district. It is situated about 5 km away from HITEC City, another IT hub. Gachibowli is home to numerous tech companies ...
. The
Hyderabad cricket team The Hyderabad cricket team is a domestic cricket team based in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, run by the Hyderabad Cricket Association. It is part of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group and has seen scattered success over its many years in the Ra ...
is represented in the
Ranji Trophy The Ranji Trophy is a premier domestic first-class cricket championship played in India and organized annually by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The teams representing regional and state cricket associations participate. BCCI ...
and has won twice. The
Sunrisers Hyderabad The Sunrisers Hyderabad, also known as SRH, are a professional Twenty20 cricket team based in Hyderabad, Telangana, that competes in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise is owned by Kalanithi Maran of the Sun Group and was found ...
, an
Indian Premier League The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 (T20) cricket league in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Founded in 2007, it features ten city-based Professional sports league organization, fr ...
franchise, is based in Hyderabad and has won the trophy once.
Deccan Chargers Deccan Chargers (also sometimes known as the Chargers) is a defunct cricket franchise that competed in the Indian Premier League. It was based in the city of Hyderabad. The franchise was one of the eight inaugural members of the IPL in 2008 and ...
, a currently defunct franchise from Hyderabad, also won the
Indian Premier League The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 (T20) cricket league in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Founded in 2007, it features ten city-based Professional sports league organization, fr ...
once. The
Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, commonly known as Uppal Stadium, is an international cricket stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is owned and operated by Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). It is the home ground of ...
is the home ground of both
Hyderabad cricket team The Hyderabad cricket team is a domestic cricket team based in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, run by the Hyderabad Cricket Association. It is part of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group and has seen scattered success over its many years in the Ra ...
and
Sunrisers Hyderabad The Sunrisers Hyderabad, also known as SRH, are a professional Twenty20 cricket team based in Hyderabad, Telangana, that competes in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise is owned by Kalanithi Maran of the Sun Group and was found ...
. It hosts international as well as domestic matches. The Hyderabad Hunters, a
Premier Badminton League Premier Badminton League, aka PBL, is a team badminton league operating in India. It was launched in 2016 and is one of the top badminton leagues in the world. It features nine state or city-based franchise teams and the top Indian and interna ...
franchise; the
Telugu Titans Telugu Titans is a professional kabaddi team based in Hyderabad, Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Decca ...
, a
Pro Kabaddi League The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is an Indian professional Kabaddi league for men. It premiered in 2014 and airs on Star Sports. It is the most popular kabaddi league in the world and the third most watched sports league in India after the India ...
franchise; the Hyderabad Sky, a
UBA Pro Basketball League The United Basketball Alliance (UBA) was the first men’s professional basketball league in India, comprising eight teams. The UBA was headquartered in Pune and had a city team, Pune Peshwas. The first UBA match was played on 17 July 2015 at ...
franchise and the Telugu Tigers, a Premier Futsal franchise are also based in Hyderabad. Hyderabad Hunters have won the Premier Badminton League title. Other stadiums include G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium,
Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium may refer to: * Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, a multi-purpose stadium in Hyderabad, India * Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Kollam, a multi-purpose stadium in Kollam, India {{disambiguation ...
and
Gachibowli Indoor Stadium G. M. C. Balayogi Indoor Stadium is an indoor arena located in Hyderabad, India. It holds 5,000 people. It is located in the Gachibowli suburb. The stadium was built in 2002 headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu Government to host the 2003 Afro-Asi ...
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Notable people


See also

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Bekkara Bekkara, also known as Bekkera, is a small village in Telangana, India. It is located in the Kalwakurthy mandal of Nagarkurnool district. Demographics Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ...
*
Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...
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Hyderabad State (1948–1956) Hyderabad State was a States and union territories of India, state in Dominion of India, Dominion and later India, Republic of India, formed after the accession of the State of Hyderabad into the Dominion of India, Union on 17 September 1948. ...
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List of people from Telangana The following is a list of notable people from Telangana. 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 * Naw ...
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Telangana Language Day Telangana Language Day is celebrated on 9 September every year in Telangana, India. This date was chosen on the occasion of renowned writer, poet of the Telangana Kaloji Narayana Rao's 100th birth anniversary. The Government of Telangana pr ...
* List of cities and towns in Telangana


Notes


References


Further reading

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Direct link
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External links

Government
Official site of Telangana government
General information * * * * {{Authority control . States and territories established in 2014 2014 establishments in India States and union territories of India