Telugu people

The Telugu people are an ethnic group in India, who speak Telugu as their first language. They come from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. There is also a large Telugu population in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Telugu language is the third-most spoken native language in India^[1] and the fourth most in the Indian subcontinent, following Hindi, Bengali and Marathi.

They have a rich cultural heritage that includes classical dance forms like Kuchipudi, vibrant festivals such as Ugadi and Sankranti, and a long tradition of literature, music and cinema. Telugu people have made significant contributions to Indian politics, science, and the arts. Many Telugu-speaking communities have also settled abroad, especially in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East, forming a strong global diaspora that actively preserves their language and traditions.