Who are the Telugu People?

The Telugu people are an ethnic group that speaks Telugu as a native language and/or trace their origin to the Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Large populations of the Telugu people are also found in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha.

Telugu Language

The Telugu language is spoken by the Telugu people, especially those in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and the territory of Puducherry. A further 3.7 million live in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. There are three dialects of the Telugu language: Andhra, which is spoken in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana dialect which is spoken in Telangana, and Rayalaseema dialect that is used in the Rayalaseema districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The United States

Telugu is the fastest growing language in the United States. Since the beginning of the decade, the number of speakers has increased by 86% although it is still outside the 20 most spoken languages in the country other than English. By 2018, the number of Telugu speakers had risen to about 400,000 compared to 250,000 in 2010. The growth of the language in the US is attributed to the link between American technology and engineering companies to the largest Telugu-speaking city of Hyderabad. In the mid-1990s, the rapid growth ICT in the US lead to increased demand for software engineers, most of whom were hired from the Indian states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Telugu Culture

The Telugu people are known for their rich culture that includes a wide range of performing arts, drama, music, arts and crafts, and cuisine. Both men and women engage in various dance forms such as Tappeta Gullu, Kolattam, Kuchipudi, Bhagotham, and Dhimsa. The ancient cuisines of the Telugu people in Andhra Pradesh are known as the spiciest in India.