Gona Ganna Reddy

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Gona Ganna Reddy (1262–1296 CE),^[1] son of king Gona Budda Reddy who contributed to the Ranganatha Ramayanam as Dwipada Kavyam in the Telugu language and a military chieftain to one of the few ruling queens Rani Rudrama Devi in Indian history. He ruled Vardhamaanapuram (now called Nandi Vaddeman) in Nagarkurnool district.

Gona Ganna Reddy had two brothers and one sister. They were the poets Gona Kacha Reddy, Gona Vitalanatha and Kuppambika. Gona Kacha Reddy and Vitalanatha's contributions include the completion of the Uttarakaanda section in the Ranganatha Ramayanam. Ranganatha's version was the first and foremost Ramayanam written in Telugu literary history by Gona Budda Reddy. His sister, Kuppambika is known to be the first Telugu woman poet as per Buddapuram inscriptions. Kuppambika married Malyala Gundadandadeeshudu, who was also known as Danda Senani.

Gona Ganna Reddy married the love of his life Annaambika, best friend of Rudramadevi.^[2] A 400-page Kakatiya historical novel was written by Adavi Baapiraju in 1946.^[3]

Khilla Ghanpur, a town in South Telangana near Mahabubnagar and Wanaparthy, also known as Ganapuram, is named after him and the Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva. He constructed several lakes with the help of his brother-in-law Danda Senani during Kakatiya's rule. After Gona Ganna Reddy's death, his brother-in-law, Malyala Gundadandadeeshudu also known as Danda Senani, became the king of Vardhamaanapuram.