Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026 · 2 min read
1. Languages
- Telugu is the official language; Urdu is the second official language.
- Telangana Telugu has its own dialect and vocabulary, with many Urdu words.
- Dakhni (Deccani) Urdu developed at the Bahmani and Qutb Shahi courts.
- Telugu was declared a classical language by the Government of India in 2008.
2. Classical and medieval writers
| Writer | Work / fact |
|---|---|
| Pampa | Kannada Adikavi; wrote Vikramarjuna Vijaya at Vemulavada (court of Arikesari II) |
| Mallia Rechana | Kavijanasrayam — an early Telugu prosody text (Vemulavada) |
| Palkuriki Somanatha | Basava Puranam, Panditaradhya Charitra — Veerashaiva works in desi style (Kakatiya period) |
| Bammera Pothana | Andhra Maha Bhagavatamu — from Bammera (Jangaon district) |
| Gona Budda Reddy | Ranganatha Ramayanam in dwipada metre |
| Kancherla Gopanna (Bhakta Ramadasu) | Dasarathi Satakam and Rama keertanas |
| Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah | Dakhni Urdu poet; founder of Hyderabad |
3. Modern writers and poets
| Writer | Fact |
|---|---|
| Suravaram Pratap Reddy | Edited Golconda Patrika; wrote Andhrula Sanghika Charitra, which won the first Kendra Sahitya Akademi award for Telugu (1955) |
| Kaloji Narayana Rao | People's poet — Naa Godava; Padma Vibhushan; his birthday 9 September is Telangana Language Day; the health university at Warangal is named after him |
| Dasarathi Krishnamacharya | Poet of the anti-Nizam struggle — Agnidhara; line "Naa Telangana Koti Ratnala Veena" |
| C. Narayana Reddy (CiNaRe) | Viswambhara — Jnanpith Award 1988; also a film lyricist |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao | Former Prime Minister; novel Insider; translated Viswanatha Satyanarayana's Veyi Padagalu into Hindi as Sahasraphan |
| Vattikota Alwar Swamy | Novel Prajala Manishi on the Telangana struggle |
| Ande Sri | Wrote the state song "Jaya Jaya He Telangana" |
| Gaddar | Revolutionary balladeer and singer |
| Goreti Venkanna | Folk poet; Kendra Sahitya Akademi award (2021) |