ABP Southern Rising Summit 2025: ABP Network is set to unveil the third edition of its flagship “Southern Rising Summit 2025”, returning with the forward-looking theme “Ready for the Future: Innovation, Transformation, Inspiration.” The summit continues its mission of highlighting South India’s rising impact, politically, culturally, and socially, and examining the leaders who have shaped the region’s evolving identity.
To be held on 25 November at the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, the event will bring together policymakers, cultural icons, and influential voices from across the South. While key figures like Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Telangana’s K. T. Rama Rao will lead high-level policy conversations, the summit will also spotlight political personalities whose journeys reflect the region’s changing dynamics, including Kalvakuntla Kavitha, a prominent figure from Telangana, who will lead the session titled “Striking Out The Politics of Families.”
The session will explore her trajectory during a period when her influence and public life became central to Telangana’s political story. It will look at her evolution from a trained software engineer in the US to a leader who played a visible role in the statehood movement, founded the cultural platform Telangana Jagruthi, and later served as both MP and MLC from Nizamabad. Her recent break from the BRS in 2025, following her suspension and resignation amid allegations tied to party leadership, marks a significant chapter in her political journey.
Kalvakuntla Kavitha: A Political Journey Marked by Activism, and Cultural Influence
Kalvakuntla Kavitha, former MP, ex-MLC, and one of the most recognisable political figures from Telangana, has witnessed one of the most dramatic turns of her career in 2025. Once a key face of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and an influential voice in the Telangana statehood movement, Kavitha’s exit from the party this September marked a decisive shift in the state’s political landscape.
Born on 13 March 1978 in Karimnagar, Kavitha grew up deeply immersed in the political and cultural ethos of Telangana. As the daughter of K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), the state’s first Chief Minister and architect of the Telangana movement, she evolved from a tech professional in the US to a grassroots organiser, cultural mobiliser, MP, MLC, and finally a leader battling legal and political turmoil.
A Sudden Fallout: Suspension, Accusations, and Resignation
Kavitha’s long association with the BRS came to an abrupt end on 2 September 2025, when she was suspended for alleged anti-party activities. The move followed her explosive accusations against senior leaders and cousins T. Harish Rao and J. Santosh Kumar, whom she linked to corruption in the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.
A day later, on 3 September 2025, she resigned from both the party and her seat in the Telangana Legislative Council. Her exit fuelled speculation about her next move, including hints that she may float a new political outfit or reposition Telangana Jagruthi, the cultural organisation she founded, into a political platform.
Early Life: From Software Engineer to Cultural Mobiliser
Before her political journey began, Kavitha built a career far from India. After completing her education, she worked as a software engineer in the US. In 2004, she returned to India with a renewed desire to contribute to the people of Telangana.
Her transition to public life was organic. She spent months travelling across remote villages, observing first-hand the challenges of poverty, lack of basic amenities, and unemployment. Believing that cultural identity could become a binding force for the movement, she began organising large-scale celebrations of Bathukamma. The festival soon became a global symbol of Telangana pride, celebrated in more than 30 countries.
This cultural wave ultimately led her to establish Telangana Jagruthi in 2006, a movement that blended cultural revival with political consciousness.
Rise in Politics: MP, MLC, and a Voice for Telangana
Kavitha formally entered electoral politics in 2014, winning the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 2.72 lakh votes, one of the largest in the region. During her tenure (2014–2019), she served on key parliamentary committees, including Commerce, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Drinking Water and Sanitation.
In 2020, she became a Member of the Legislative Council from Nizamabad. She actively worked with labour and trade organisations and served as honorary president of employee unions such as TRVKS and TAWHA. Her popularity among women and grassroots workers earned her the affectionate title “Kavithamma” within Telangana’s districts.
Advocacy, Positions, and Public Stands
Beyond electoral politics, Kavitha has been a consistent advocate on multiple issues:
Championing Farmers
In 2022, she strongly criticised the Union government for failing to procure paddy from Telangana, arguing that farmers were being left without a clear procurement calendar.
Women’s Representation
Kavitha’s name was proposed to the Steering Committee of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), reflecting her commitment to increasing women’s participation in legislative bodies.
International Engagement
In July 2022, she addressed the ATA Youth Conference in Washington DC and inaugurated the Telangana Pavilion, highlighting the cultural identity of the diaspora.
Strong Political Stands
She filed defamation cases against BJP leaders who linked her to the excise policy case and wrote to the Chief Justice of India urging action against the Gujarat government’s decision to release the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.
On National Issues
In February 2023, she demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the fall of Adani Group shares, arguing that it had serious implications for common citizens and national financial stability.
Achievements: Empowering Youth Through Skills
One of Kavitha’s most impactful contributions is the Telangana Jagruthi Skill Centres, which train around 8,500 youth across the state. These centres continue to play a key role in enhancing employability and bridging the skill gap, especially in rural areas.
Political Timeline: Key Milestones
- 2025 (Sept 3): Resigned from BRS and her MLC seat; hints at launching new political path.
- 2025 (Sept 2): Suspended from BRS for alleged anti-party actions.
- 2023–2024: Arrested in the Delhi liquor policy case; released on bail in August 2024.
- 2020: Elected as MLC; active in labour and cultural organisations.
- 2014–2019: MP from Nizamabad; served on key parliamentary committees.
- 2006–2007: Formed Telangana Jagruthi, later linked with cultural unity and youth empowerment.
- 2004: Returned from the US, entered public life through activism and cultural mobilisation.
A Leader at a Crossroads
Kalvakuntla Kavitha remains one of Telangana’s most influential, and controversial, political figures. Her journey blends activism, cultural revivalism, electoral power, and legal battles. As she steps beyond the BRS and hints at a new political chapter, all eyes will be on how she reshapes her role in Telangana’s shifting political narrative.Whether through Telangana Jagruthi or a new political formation, Kavitha’s next move could define the contours of Telangana politics in the years to come.