Telugu Americans

Telugu Americans are Americans of Telugu descent. The Telugu community in the United States has grown significantly since the late 20th century, largely due to the influx of professionals in the fields of technology and medicine. Telugu Americans have contributed to various sectors including science, technology, politics, and arts.

History

The migration of Telugu-speaking individuals to the United States began in earnest in the 1960s and 1970s with the relaxation of U.S. immigration laws. Many Telugus came as students, engineers, doctors, and other professionals.

Culture

Telugu Americans maintain a strong connection to their cultural heritage, including language, festivals such as Diwali and Sankranthi, and religious practices. They have established numerous cultural organizations across the U.S. to preserve Telugu traditions and language.

Most Notable Individuals

• Satya Nadella – CEO of Microsoft.
• Venkatraman Ramakrishnan – Nobel laureate in Chemistry.
• Padmasree Warrior – Former CTO of Cisco and CEO of NIO USA.
• Vivek Maddala – Composer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his work on the animated series The Tom and Jerry Show.
• Anjali Bhimani – Actress, known for her role in the video game Overwatch.

Telugu Americans by Category

Government, Politics, and Philanthropy

• Upendra J. Chivukula - Democratic politician, former New Jersey General Assembly Deputy Speaker, and Commissioner on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
• Narayana Kocherlakota - Economist and former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
• Kris Kolluri - Former New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation.
• Aruna Miller - Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.
• Sashi Reddy - Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist.
• Vinai Thummalapally - U.S. ambassador to Belize from 2009 to 2013 and Executive Chairman of Red Fort Strategies.

Science, and Technology

• C. R. Rao - Renowned statistician and one of the top statisticians globally.
• Satya Nadella - CEO of Microsoft.
• Raj Reddy - Computer scientist, Robotics Institute founder at Carnegie Mellon University, and Turing Award recipient.
• Vijaya Gadde - Former global lead of legal, policy, and trust at Twitter.
• Yellapragada Subbarao - Biochemist known for his discovery of the function of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
• Neeli Bendapudi - President of Penn State University and former President of University of Louisville.
• Ravi V. Bellamkonda - Vinik Dean of Engineering at Duke University's Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School of Engineering.
• Dabeeru C. Rao - Director of the Division of Biostatistics at Washington University School of Medicine.
• G. S. Maddala - Economist and mathematician, renowned for his contributions to econometrics.
• J. N. Reddy - Mechanical Engineering Professor at Texas A&M University.
• Satya N. Atluri - Mechanical & aerospace engineering professor at University of California, Irvine.
• Rao Remala - First Indian employee at Microsoft.
• E. Premkumar Reddy - Molecular biologist focusing on cancer therapeutics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
• Sirisha Bandla - Second India-born woman to fly to space, part of Virgin Galactic Unity 22 mission.

Notable Telugu American Physicians

Telugu American physicians have made significant contributions to healthcare in the United States, excelling in various specialties and research areas. They are known for their expertise, innovation, and dedication to improving patient care and medical science.

Anesthesiology

• Seshagiri Mallampati - Anesthesiologist known for inventing the Mallampati score.

Cardiology

• Sreekanth Vemulapalli – Cardiologist specializing in interventional cardiology and structural heart disease, known for his work in minimally invasive heart procedures.

Neurology

• Annapurni Jayam-Trouth – Neurologist known for her extensive research in cerebrovascular diseases and contributions to understanding stroke mechanisms.

Endocrinology

• Sudhaker D. Rao – Endocrinologist and bone disease specialist, recognized for his research in parathyroid and bone metabolism diseases.

Gastroenterology

• Prasad Iyer – Gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic, noted for his work on esophageal diseases, Barrett's esophagus, and early cancer detection.

Ophthalmology

• Balamurali Ambati – Ophthalmologist and researcher who gained the Guinness World Record as the world's youngest doctor at age 17. Known for his advancements in corneal transplant techniques and ocular pharmacology.

Oncology

• V. K. Raju – Ophthalmologist and philanthropist, founder of the Eye Foundation of America, known for his global work on preventing blindness.
• E. Premkumar Reddy – Molecular oncologist noted for his pioneering research in cancer biology, particularly in identifying molecular targets for cancer treatment.

Pediatrics

• V. Mohan Reddy – Distinguished pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Stanford University, specializing in complex cardiac surgeries in newborns and children.

Psychiatry

• Ramani Durvasula – Clinical psychologist and professor known for her research on narcissistic behavior and its impact on relationships, as well as her media presence as a mental health expert.

Surgery

• Dattatreyudu Nori – Radiation oncologist, recognized for his expertise in the treatment of cancers involving the prostate, breast, and head and neck. Former Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College.

Research and Education

• Vamsi Mootha – Physician-scientist specializing in mitochondrial biology, Professor at Harvard Medical School, and investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, known for his work on mitochondrial diseases.

Activism, Arts, Literature, and Media

• Samina Ali - Author, feminist, and activist.
• Vijaya Lakshmi Emani - Social activist, posthumously awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal.
• Saagar Enjeti - Co-host of "Breaking Points" and "The Hill".
• Uma Pemmaraju - Anchor and host on the Fox News Channel.
• Aneesh Chaganty - Film director known for "Searching".
• Siddharth Katragadda - Screenwriter, film director, poet, writer, and painter.
• Ashok Kondabolu - DJ, rapper, and former member of hip-hop group Das Racist.
• Hari Kondabolu - Stand-up comedian.
• Aparna Nancherla - Comedian, actress, and voice actor.
• Rushi Kota - Actor.
• Sarayu Rao - Actress.
• Aryan Simhadri - Actor.
• Ajay Naidu - Actor.
• Varun Sandesh - Actor.
• Adivi Sesh - Actor, director, and writer.
• Akash Vukoti - TV personality.
• Raja Kumari - Singer.
• Vivek Maddala - Emmy-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist.
• 6ix - In-house music producer for rapper Logic.
• Nina Davuluri - Miss America 2014.
• Pratima Yarlagadda - Miss Indiana and finalist in Miss USA 1999.
• Shobu Yarlagadda - Environmental engineer and film producer.
• Sreeleela - Actress.
• Harini Logan - Scripps National Spelling Bee champion and TV personality.
• Sravya Annappareddy - Girl Scout known for her COVID-19 relief efforts.
• Avantika Vandanapu - Actress.
• Danny Pudi - Comedian and actor.
• Rajeswari Udayagiri - Entrepreneur and radio personality.

Sports

• Laxmi Poruri - Tennis player.
• Kumar Rocker - College baseball pitcher.
• Arjun Nimmala - Promising young baseball player.
• James Blackmon Jr. - Professional basketball player.

Note:Although not as notable as others, the founder of of WikiMD, Prab R. Tumpati, MD, is also a Telugu American physician.

External links

• Telugu Association of North America (TANA) Official Site

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