Mala is a Telugu caste from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are also present in smaller numbers in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra. They are considered as Scheduled Caste (SC) by the Government of India. According to 2001 census data, Malas constituted 41.6 percent of the Scheduled Castes population in the then state of Andhra Pradesh, which also included the present state of Telangana.
Basava, also called Basaveshwara and Basavanna, was a 12th-century CE Indian statesman, philosopher, poet, Lingayat social reformer in the Shiva-focussed bhakti movement, and a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya/Kalachuri dynasty. Basava was active during the rule of both dynasties but reached the peak of his influence during the rule of King Bijjala II in Karnataka, India.
Mudaliar is a Tamil title and surname. As title, it was historically given to high-ranking military officers and their descendants during the Chola empire rule. The surname is most prevalent among Tamils from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Descendants of Tamil colonial migrants also bears variants of the name in countries such as South Africa, and elsewhere in the Tamil diaspora.
Niyogi Brahmin is a Telugu Brahmin subcaste native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, but are spread throughout South India and Maharashtra. The traditional occupations of the Niyogi Brahmins are settled cultivation and priesthood. But majority of them took up various secular vocations including military activities and patwaris. They were associated with administration, economics, literature, music composing, politics, scholarly, scientific, engineering, defense and warfare careers.
Deshastha Brahmin is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Brahmins are also concentrated in the states of Telangana (which was earlier part of Hyderabad State and Berar Division), Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (Which was earlier part of Central Provinces and Berar) Historian Pran Nath Chopra and journalist Pritish Nandy say, "Most of the well-known saints from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were Deshastha Brahmins". The mother tongue of Deshastha Brahmins is either Marathi, Kannada or Telugu.
Devanga is a Hindu caste from South India that traditionally followed the occupation of textile merchandise, weaving and farming mostly found in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Vokkaliga is a community, or a group of closely related castes, from the Indian state of Karnataka. They are also present in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu.
Balija is a caste of the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Pampa, called by the honorific Ādikavi was a Kannada-language Jain poet whose works reflected his philosophical beliefs. A court poet of Vemulavada Chalukya king Arikesari II, he was a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta dynasty king Krishna III. Pampa is best known for his epics Vikramārjuna Vijaya or Pampa Bharata, and the Ādi purāṇa, both written in the champu style around c. 939. These works served as the model for all future champu works in Kannada.
Telaga is a community found in Coastal Andhra region of India. Telaga is a subcaste of Kapu and both terms are often used synonymously. They are classified as a Forward caste. They are a land-owning agrarian community. Historically, they were a warrior caste known for their honour and bravery.
Sengunthar, also known as the Kaikolar and Senguntha Mudaliar is a caste commonly found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and also in some other parts of South India and the neighboring country Sri Lanka. In Andhra Pradesh, they are called as Kaikala or Karikala Bhaktulu, who consider the early Chola emperor Karikala Choludu as their hero. They were traditional weavers by occupation and warriors by ancient heritage. They were part of the Chola army as Kaikola regiment and were dominant during the rule of medieval Chola dynasty, holding commander and minister positions in the court. In the olden days in India, the Sengunthars were warriors and were given the title Mudaliar for their bravery. Majority of Sengunthars are sub-divided into numerous clans based on a patrilineal lineage known as Koottam or Gotra.
Padmasali is a Hindu caste residing in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Their traditional occupation is weaving.
Karnataka, with a total population of 61,100,000, is one of the major states in South India. Kannada is the official language of Karnataka. Other linguistic minorities in the state are Tulu, Kodava, Konkani and Urdu. Karnataka is also in the forefront of population control measures with the world's first two birth control clinics being set up in 1930 in the Mandya district.
Pattusali is a Hindu community predominantly residing in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka and Gujarat.
Nethakani, also known as Netkani,As Nethkani in Maharashtra,In the state of Telangana it is known as nethakaani. are a Maratha and Telugu caste of cotton weavers and laborers.
Kaikalas are a Telugu speaking weaving caste. Kaikalas live in the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.They are classified as Other Backward Class (OBC) by the Government of India. They are also known as Karikala Bhaktulu, Kaikala, Kaikkolar, Sengundar. During the rule of Chola dynasty, some of the Kaikolars who formed major portion of the Chola army migrated to Andhra region from Tamilakam. They consider the Chola emperor Karikala Choludu as their hero who is said to have conquered Andhra region around 2nd century CE.
The Komati is a Telugu-speaking trading community that is currently organised as a caste. They are primarily found in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and in smaller numbers in neighbouring states. The members of the Komati caste are commonly engaged as moneylenders, businessmen, and shopkeepers. The community consists of many sects who are followers of Hinduism, namely the Gomata, the Thrivarnika, and the Kalinga, along with the Jaina Komatis who are followers of Jainism. Traditionally, most Komatis are vegetarian due to their belief in ahimsa (nonviolence).
The Vishwakarma community are a social group of India, sometimes described as a caste. They prefer the alternate name, Vishwabrahmin, and claim themselves to be Brahmin or of high-status in the caste hierarchy, although these claims are not generally accepted outside the community. The community comprises five sub-groups—carpenters, blacksmiths, bronze smiths, goldsmiths and stonemasons— claim to be descendants of Vishvakarma, the builder and architect of heavenly realm, a Hindu deity.
Karanam or Karnam was an office and title native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Traditionally, Karanam was an official who maintained the accounts and records of the villages and collected the taxes. Karanam was one of the two village-level administrative posts that existed in Andhra along with 'Munasabu' (Munsiff). The Karanam kept an elaborate system of village accounts.
Madhva Brahmins, are Hindu Brahmin communities in India, who follow Sat Vaishnavism and Dvaita philosophy propounded by Madhvacharya. They are found mostly in the Indian states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
