During 1998–99, Rao began his stint as an IT professional and interned at the shipping and ocean logistics firm INTTRA Inc on Madison Avenue, New York, United States.[10]
Personal life
Rao is married to Shailima.[14] The couple has two children – son Himanshu Rao and daughter Alekhya Rao.[15][16]
He held Rail Roko agitation after police and paramilitary forces were deployed by the Kiran Kumar Reddy government to control the ongoing situation.[21] On 27 January 2013, Rao courted arrest when he attempted to participate in the 'Samara Deeksha' (protest) at Indira Park in Hyderabad.[22]
Rao demanded that a Bill be introduced in Parliament in an interview to a National News Channel.[23] He also declared that the impending "Telangana government will not compromise on any aspect of administration being delegated to the union government with regard to (the city of) Hyderabad."[23]
In the first Legislative Assembly elections for Telangana, as the 29th state of the Indian Union, Rao contested as the MLA candidate for TRS from Sircilla against Konduri Ravider Rao from the INC, winning the seat for the third consecutive time by a margin of 53,004 votes.[24] TRS emerged as the ruling party with the single largest majority in the assembly, winning a decisive mandate of 66 out of 119 seats.[25]
He was appointed as Executive Working President of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi Party (TRS) by the President and Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao.[27]
In the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, Rao officially submitted his nominations at the RDO office located in Sircilla.[29] He won the seat for the fifth consecutive time, by a margin of 29,845 votes against K. K. Mahender Reddy once again.[30] However, his party lost the election and became the opposition party after a defeat to the Indian National Congress.
In August 2024, him and other BRS MLAs were evicted from the Telangana Legislative Assembly by marshals. This was in response to them protesting against Chief MinisterRevanth Reddy's disrespectful remarks against women legislators. They were released later at the Telangana Bhavan, the headquarters of their party.[31][32]
Role as Minister
He served as a minister in various portfolios from 2014-2023 -
Minister for Information Technology
Rao at the Interactive Session with the ICT Industry event on 27 June 2014
Soon after assuming office, Information Technology (IT) Minister K. T. Rama Rao briefed the Chief Minister on large-scale projects for a progressive Hyderabad in a review meeting of the Information Technology and Investment Region (ITIR) Policy.[33]
In December 2014, along with the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) Chairman, Rao held discussions with the CEO of Smart City in Dubai with regard to developing Hyderabad under the ambit of ITIR.[34] Rao also called on Yusuff Ali M A, chairman of the Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group who said that his company would invest Rs 2,500 crore in Telangana's FMCG domain for 2015–16.[35] During the same time, Rama Rao visited the Sonapur camp in Dubai to interact with about 20,000 migrant workers from Telangana who resided there.[36]
In May 2015, Rao led an IT department delegation on a two-week tour to the United States with the agenda of discussing and reaching partnerships with corporate giants on various areas of collaboration with the Government of Telangana. The top brass of 30 leading companies which include John Chambers of Cisco, Mark Hurd of Oracle and John Veihmeyer, the global chairman of KPMG, met Rao to discuss the new industrial policy and ease of doing business in Telangana.[37] He met Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, and Amazon executives Monique Meche & John Schoettler who assured their continued support to the State's initiatives in the IT space. The Minister had also exhorted Non Resident Indians in a meeting at Seattle to be Goodwill Ambassadors in representation of the state government outside India.[38]
He set up the largest start-up incubator, T-Hub on 5 November 2015. The platform located at Gachibowli is one of Rao's landmark initiatives for the state's young talent pool to innovate, incubate and incorporate new ideas for entrepreneurship.[39] Up to 300 start-ups and provides a futuristic workspace for up to 800 people at once.[40] Rao conceptualised the cell a step further than the norm by including public-private partnership and mentorship as core features of the facility.[40]
On 19 March 2016, Rao urged Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to sanction Rs 100 crore for the second phase of T-Hub. Mr. Prasad was also urged to sanction Rs 3,000 crore due to the State for implementation of IT Investment Region.[44]
During a 2014 (CII) conference on cyber security, Rao had urged industry to collaborate with the government to combat cyber crimes. This, while emphasising a dedicated workforce to defeat the threat that hackers pose to the IT infrastructure.[45] Towards a Swachh Digital Telangana, in July 2015, two important MoUs were signed in the presence of Rao. As a result, One MoU between the Government of Telangana and C.R. Rao Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science to make cyber security part of the state's multi-policy framework.[46] Another was signed between TASK and Samsung South-West Asia in offering courses on software development and testing operations. In August 2015, the state government partnered with NASSCOM and Data Security Council of India (DSCI) towards making Hyderabad a cyber-safe destination.[47]
On 10 March 2016, Governor E S L Narasimhan stated in his address to the joint session of Assembly that, with Rao as the first IT Minister of the state, the IT sector recorded huge exports of Rs 68,258 crore through 1,300 IT units, including 500 global companies, which shows 16% growth.[48] He has been invited to speak at international conferences on Telangana's growth such as the Bridge India Ideas for India Conference[49] in May 2023. His speech at this conference attracted media attention on Telangana's growth as a pattern for the rest of India.[50][51]
Minister for Panchayat Raj
On 19 January 2015, Rao announced that at least 26 government employees of various departments will be brought to work under the chairmanship of village sarpanches through a new Act that will strengthen village panchayats in Telangana. He also assured that his government will appoint special tribunals and ombudsmen for the purpose of accountability and grievance redressal.[52] Rao stated that the government has plans to spend Rs. 642 crore in 150 most backward mandalstill the year 2020 for improving livelihood and human development index under the Telangana PallePragathiprogramme.[53]
In June 2015, Rao urged Union Panchayat Raj Minister, Nihal Chand, to give priority to the new state and ensure that arrears of the 13th Finance Commission funds be released from the central pool with immediate effect. This, while appraising him of important programmes that include Our Village- Our Plan, Harithaharam and the much sought after construction of two bed room houses with basic amenities for the poor and weaker sections.[54]
A Cabinet Sub-Committee chaired by Minister Rao had formulated guidelines for the implementation of "GramaJyothi", a flagship programme of the state government which was launched on 15 August 2015.[55] The guidelines envisaged that the perspective plan should focus on provision of basic amenities for rural development. To meet them, Rao emphasised the allocation of funds to various works like provision of drinking water, health, education, electricity, sanitation and roads among others.[56]
Rao also unveiled that the State Government was planning to increase the bank linkage to SHG women from the earlier Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. He directed officials to construct Mahila Bhavans for SERP offices at the village level.[57] In July 2014, Rao had expedited the clearance of dues to the tune of Rs 14.96 crore for women beneficiaries of the Bangaru Talli scheme.[57]
During a review meeting of the Department of Panchayat Raj held on 18 September 2015, Rao announced that e-panchayat system would be rolled out across Telangana in the forthcoming months,[58] the TRS government's flagship project in the e-governance space for a progressive state.
Towards women empowerment, he declared that about 10,000 women would be provided employment through the proposed comprehensive village service centers or PalleSamagraSevaKendram.[59] These women, besides qualified youth, are trained and appointed as Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) to operate, supervise and implement government schemes at the village level.[60]
Interacting with a group of women at a VLE training programme held at the Telangana State Institute for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development (TSIPARD), Rao appreciated women from over 4 lakh self-help groups for successfully repaying Rs. 5,000 crore loans availed by thrift groups adhering to fiscal discipline.[61]
Rao launched the Water Grid Scheme (Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project – Water Grid) in September 2015, with an estimated outlay of Rs. 35,000 crore.[62] According to him, the State government is fully determined to complete the project, also known as Mission Bhagiratha, one that is expected to find a lasting solution to the drinking water needs of people in the State, much ahead of the stipulated time frame of three-and-a-half years. The government would also use hydraulic modelling software for determining the size of water pipelines, pumping capacity and height to which water would be pumped.
Wide spread success of the concept and implementation in the initial month impressed the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, who wished to replicate the model for the Bundelkhand Region. Rao and a team of IT department officials had flown to Lucknow in October 2015 to give a presentation in respect of the Water Grid Scheme, alongside inviting Yadav to visit Telangana for a ground-level assessment.[63]
Earlier, Rao had also inaugurated the Rs. 10 crore Comprehensive Protected Drinking Water Supply (CPWS) Scheme at Puttakota in Raghunadhapalem mandal and a new rural water supply scheme at Edulapuram village in Khammam rural mandal.[62]
On 27 January 2016, the Government of India, the Government of Telangana, and the World Bank signed a US$75 million credit agreement for the Telangana Rural Inclusive Growth Project. This was hailed as a significant boost to the rural development department on the ministerial watch of Rao that would enhance the agricultural incomes of small and marginal farmers in the state, and ensure increased access to services related to health, nutrition, sanitation and social entitlements.[64]
Rao told the State Assembly in March 2016 that the state government would construct as many as 1,000 new Gram Panchayat buildings across the state in the first phase at a cost of Rs 130 crore. The new buildings will replace the dilapidated ones. The government has sanctioned Rs 13 lakh for each building.[65] He also told the House that a total of 2.75 lakh LED bulbs would be fitted in 25 municipalities and nagar panchayats of Telangana government at a cost of Rs.10 per bulb as fitting charges.[66]
Role in GHMC elections
Elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the urban local government body of Hyderabad, were conducted in February 2016. Rao was made in-charge of the party's campaign for the election. He was entrusted with the complete responsibility of the party's campaign and publicity strategy since KCR was preoccupied with MLC polls. The odds were against the party in the city election since it had won only 2 out of 24 Assembly seats in previous GHMC elections.[67]
The election has seen Rao actively touring all 150 wards of the city in a span of one week, conducting more than 100 public meetings while canvasing for TRS.[68] Starting as early as 6 am every day, he worked round the clock to participate and engage with important leaders in the campaign sending a strong message to party cadre.[68] He was seen to use his marketing skills and political experience to promote the party as a strong contender in the election.
Hyderabad is a bastion for urban-centric parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which draw their support from the large Seemandhra population and working class residing in the city. Proving the allegations that the ruling party was trying to conduct elections during the Sankranti vacation were wrong, Rao asserted that he believed in inclusive leadership and that the party would win with the votes of Seemandhra people, exuding confidence that the people of Andhra region would also vote for the TRS seeing the development works of the government.[69]
His initiatives as the IT minister of the State won the confidence of both the people and industry leaders making his campaign a success. He also reached out to Bengalis, Jains, Sikhs, Muslims and "basti log". The induction of local basti leaders, announcement of the double-bedroom scheme, regularisation of house sites and uninterrupted water supply attracted people from the basti to vote for the party in large numbers.[70]
As a result, TRS won in 99 out of the 150 wards in the city, virtually wiping out the BJP, Indian National Congress (INC) and TDP.[71] Political analysts attributed this to the articulate speeches of the double master's degree holder turned-politician that won the hearts of Hyderabadis and positioned him as the most preferred leader among young voters.[68]
Rao is lauded for the victory of TRS in the GHMC polls since the party had a bitter loss when it contested for the local government (Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad) elections in 2002, when it ended up winning just one division.[70]
Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Brand Hyderabad
To rejuvenate the polluted Musi River, Rao announced that the state government would seek a Rs 3,000 crore loan from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in Incheon, South Korea.[73] He also urged industrialists, manufacturers, and hoteliers not to discharge waste into the drains, warning of action against violators.[73]
In March 2016, Rao said that the government was prepared to establish special-purpose vehicles, provide speedy clearances and ensure proper dispute redressal mechanism for firms investing in key infrastructure projects, including flyovers, expressways, in the capital region.[74]
Rao aimed at revitalising Hyderabad and boosting the state's economy by launching the Happening Hyderabad initiative for 52 events across 52 weeks a year. The concept encourages the hosting of various events in the city, from music and dance programs to food and art events. with the Telangana government supporting event organizers financially or through branding, a first for any state government in India.[75]
Rao replied to a query in the State Assembly in March 2016 that 74 per cent of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project was completed. He informed members of the House that the metro line had been laid to an extent of 43km in a short span of time and claimed that it is a world record for the world's biggest metro project in public private partnership.[76]
In March 2016, Rao announced that the long-pending Charminar Pedestrianisation Project (CPP) in Old City area of Hyderabad would be completed by August, and it would be opened to public.[77]
Rao laid the foundation stone for the IMAGE (Innovation in Multimedia, Animation, Gaming and Entertainment) Tower at Hyderabad Knowledge City, Raidurgam on 5 November 2017. The tower was launched as a centre of excellence with state-of-the-art facilities for animation, visual effects, gaming and comics sectors in Telangana.[78]
Awards and recognition
Inspirational Icon Of The Year - For Politics, by News18[79]
Ritz Magazine Skoch Challenger of the Year 2015 [80]
The Telugu Desam Party is an Indian regional political party with influence in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It was founded by Telugu movie star N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) on 29 March 1982 and has focused on supporting Telugu people. The party has won a five-time majority in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and has emerged as the most successful political outfit in the state's history. It is currently the ruling party in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
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 mandal also. It is located about 193 kilometres (120 mi) east of the state capital, Hyderabad, 61 kilometres (38 mi) from Suryapet, 120 kilometres (75 mi) from Warangal and also it is located about 121 kilometres (75 mi) North of the Andhra Pradesh state capital, Amaravathi. The river Munneru flows on the western side of the city. As of 2011 census of India, Khammam urban agglomeration has a population of 313,504. However, on 19 October 2012, the civic body of Khammam was upgraded to a municipal corporation. Post- upgradation to corporation, the population of Khammam was approximated to be 3,07,000. During 2014-2023 under BRS regime Khammam got a major changeover, roads expansion, Medical College, Engineering College, ITHub.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi, formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi, 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 founded on 27 April 2001 by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital. It has been instrumental in carrying forth a sustained agitation for the granting of statehood to Telangana.
The Politics of Andhra Pradesh take place in the context of a bicameral parliamentary system within the Constitutional framework of India. The main parties in the state are the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP), and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Other parties that have small presence in the state include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and Left parties, including both Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India (CPI).
The Indian state of Telangana has a 31% share of software export in India. While the majority of the industry is concentrated in Hyderabad, other cities are also becoming significant IT destinations in the state. Hyderabad houses the largest campuses of tech giants like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple outside of the US. In Hyderabad, the central region of the business happens in Financial District, HITECH City, the Madhapur suburb, Kokapet SEZ (Neopolis) and Salarpuria Sattva Knowledge City. As of 2023, Hyderabad has 9,05,715 employees in the IT/ITES sector, working in more than 1500 companies. The number of startups in Telangana had increased from 400 in 2016 to 2,000 in 2022. Hyderabad added two companies in unicorn startup list in first two months of 2022.
Siricilla is a town and the district headquarters of Rajanna Siricilla district in the Indian state of Telangana. It is located on the banks of Manair river in the Siricilla mandal of Siricilla revenue division. It is popularly known as Textile Town due to the presence of large number of power looms, textile processing and dyeing units. It is the biggest textile hub in the state of Telangana with over 40,000 power looms. Siricilla, along with Warangal is proposed to be developed as a mega textile zone by the Telangana government. The first Visalandhra Mahasabha in Telangana was held at Siricilla during the Visalandhra movement.
Boianapalli Vinod Kumar is an Indian politician and former Member of Parliament, he served as Vice-chairman of Telangana State Planning Board (2019-2023). He represented the Karimnagar constituency of Telangana State in the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019) and Hanamkonda constituency in the 14th Lok Sabha (2004-2009). He is one of the founding members of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party and is presently a politburo member and served as party's deputy Floor Leader in the 16th Lok Sabha.
Gajwel, officially Gajwel–Pragnapur, is a town and a municipality in Siddipet district of the Indian state of Telangana. The jurisdiction of the civic body is spread over an area of 49.00 km2 (18.92 sq mi). Gajwel, located about 53 km from Hyderabad on the Rajiv highway, is one of the fastest-developing towns in Telangana. It serves as a major political center and is the home constituency of the former Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrashekar Rao. Gajwel has seen development in various sectors, including infrastructure projects like the Outer Ring Road (ORR) construction. The ORR, spanning approximately 21.92 kilometers, connects Gajwel with cities such as Hyderabad, Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune, and Nizamabad, improving connectivity and facilitating smoother travel.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is the civic body that oversees Hyderabad, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the local government for the city of Hyderabad. It is one of the largest municipal corporations in India with a population of 7.9 million and an area of 650 km2.
Kadiyam Srihari is an Indian politician is currently the MLA from the Ghanpur Station Assembly constituency. He also served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana and Minister for Education of Telangana from 2014 to 2018. He was also an MLC in the Telangana Legislative Council. He was a member of the Lok Sabha, representing the Warangal constituency from 2014-2015.
Thummala Nageswara Rao is a Congress politician who has been a minister in the Government of Andhra Pradesh and, later, in the Government of Telangana. In main portfolios He is from the Khammam district.
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, 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 Legislative Assembly. He is the founder and leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a state party in India. After heading the Telangana Movement, he was the first Chief Minister of Telangana and held the position for almost 10 years.
Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar is an Indian politician and Member of Legislative Assembly in Telangana representing Telangana Rashtra Samithi a.k.a. T.R.S. and Government Chief Whip of Telangana State Legislative Assembly. He represents the Warangal West assembly constituency. He was also the Parliamentary Secretary in-charge of Chief Minister's Office (CMO) for TRS party during 2015.
The Late 2011 Telangana protests refers to a chain of protests as part of Telangana movement between September and December 2011. Sakala Janula samme or All Peoples Strike is the biggest protest of all. The strike lasted for over six weeks mainly affecting public services and the local economy. On a call given by JAC, road blockades on national highways throughout Telangana, rail blockade and the strike of auto rikshaw union were organised on 24 and 25 September causing disruption in transport services. As the All People's strike entered the 30th day on 14 October 2011, Medak's MP Vijayashanti criticised the Congress high command for the delay in making the decision on Telangana and said Congress wants the issue to be prolonged until 2014. She further said the strike should continue until the formation of the Telangana state. After 42 days, on 24 October, government employees unions called off the strike. Kodandaram said that the strike had impacted the overall thinking of the Centre towards the creation of a separate State and the movement will continue with other protest activities.
Siricilla Assembly constituency is a constituency of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, India. Sircilla is a town and the district headquarters of Rajanna Sircilla district in the Indian state of Telangana.
The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee or (TPCC) is the state unit of the Indian National Congress (INC) in the state of Telangana, India. It is responsible for organizing and coordinating the party's activities and campaigns within the state, as well as selecting candidates for local, state, and national elections. The current president of the Telangana PCC is Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud. The committee has a long history of political influence in the united Andhra Pradesh state, however, it has however, it has historically faced challenges, including fluctuations in electoral support. However, following significant efforts in 2023, the TPCC regained political power in Telangana. With the INC in government in Telangana since December 2023 after the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, the committee is actively involved in governance and party affairs.
Chennamaneni Rajeshwara Rao was an Indian communist leader and politician from the state of Telangana. Between 1957 and 2004 he got elected six times to the State Legislative Assembly.
Lubna Sarwath is an Indian social activist and economist who fought the 2014 Indian general election from Hyderabad as Aam Aadmi Party candidate.
Gellu Srinivas Yadav is an Indian Politician from Bharat Rashtra Samithi. He is currently the state president of the student wing of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
The Hyderabad Airport Express Metro or Corridor IV was a planned Hyderabad Metro line from Raidurg metro station to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The total length of the line is 31 km (19 mi). Hyderabad Airport Express Metro is fully funded by Government of Telangana through the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. As of December 2023, Union Government is yet to provide in principle approval for this project.
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