Early Life & Education
- Born: April 20, 1950, in Naravaripalle (Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh)
- Parents: Nara Kharjura Naidu (farmer) and Ammanamma Naidu
- Education: B.A. and M.A. in Economics from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati
- Early Political Spark: Participated in student politics and cyclone relief efforts in 1977
Entry into Politics & Party Switch
- Started in Congress: Youth Congress President (1975–77), MLA from Chandragiri in 1978
- Minister for Technical Education and Cinematography in Anjaiah’s cabinet
- Joined TDP in 1983 after marrying NTR’s daughter Bhuvaneswari in 1981
Legislative & Party Roles
- TDP General Secretary (1985–1994), State President (1995), National President (2014)
- MLA from Kuppam constituency since 1989
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (Four Terms)
1. 1995–1999: Took charge after political coup against NTR, launched IT & infrastructure development
2. 1999–2004: Re-elected, continued focus on tech. Lost 2004 elections to Congress
3. 2014–2019: First CM of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, initiated Amaravati capital, RTG, and Core Dashboard
4. 2024–present: Returned with TDP-BJP alliance, focusing on rapid economic development
Key Achievements
- IT Transformation: Developed HITEC City, Genome Valley, Hyderabad Airport
- Digital Governance: Real-Time Governance, Core Dashboard praised internationally
- Welfare Initiatives: NTR Trust for education, health, and disaster relief
Setbacks & Controversies
- Lost elections in 2004 and 2019
- Political coup against NTR in 1995 drew criticism
- Criticized for overly tech-centric policies and neglect of agriculture
Family & Personal Ties
- Wife: Nara Bhuvaneswari (MD of Heritage Foods)
- Son: Nara Lokesh (former Minister of IT, HRD)
- Father-in-law: N.T. Rama Rao (former CM and TDP founder)
- Brothers-in-law: Nandamuri Harikrishna, Balakrishna (actors and politicians)
Honors
- Longest-serving CM in Telugu states
- Awards: IT Indian of the Millennium, South Asian of the Year, “Naidu Day” in Illinois
Present Priorities
- Aiming for 15% annual economic growth
- Promoting AI, Amaravati Smart City, cloud infrastructure, public delivery efficiency
- Proposing population-control election reforms
Political Career Timeline
| Period | Role |
|---------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 1978–1983 | MLA (Congress), Cabinet Minister |
| 1985–1994 | TDP General Secretary |
| 1989–present | MLA, Kuppam constituency |
| 1995–2004 | Chief Minister (two consecutive terms) |
| 2004–2014 | Leader of Opposition |
| 2014–2019 | Chief Minister of bifurcated AP |
| 2019–2024 | Leader of Opposition |
| 2024–present | Chief Minister (4th term) |