NT Rama Rao: News

Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao was a prominent Telugu actor, political leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and three-time former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He started his career in 1949 as an actor with the film ‘Mana Desam’, and over the following decades, gained popularity for his portrayal of Hindu Gods in numerous movies. He has worked in over 300 films and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1968. In 1982, he entered politics by founding TDP to challenge the INC in Andhra Pradesh. TDP stormed to power in the state in the 1983 Assembly elections, and NTR became Chief Minister for the first time. After an intra-party crisis next year, elections were conducted in 1985, and TDP returned to power, with NTR serving a full term as CM. TDP lost the 1989 elections, and he served as the Leader of Opposition. In the 1994 elections, his party came to power again, and he became CM for the third time, serving till 1995 when he was deposed by his son-in-law, N Chandrababu Naidu. NTR passed away in 1996 from a heart attack.