Leadership

Kalvakuntla Kavitha was born on 13 March 1978 in Karimnagar, in present-day Telangana. She is the daughter of K. Chandrashekar Rao, former Chief Minister of Telangana and leader of the Telangana movement, and K. Shobha. Her brother is K. T. Rama Rao; her cousins include T. Harish Rao and Joginapally Santosh Kumar.

She holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, and a master's degree in computer science from the University of Southern Mississippi in the United States.

She worked as an IT professional in the United States, moving there with her husband, Devanapalli Ramayagari Anil Kumar, in 2003, before returning to India in 2006 to take part in the Telangana movement.

In 2006, Kavitha founded Telangana Jagruthi, described as a cultural and social organisation dedicated to promoting Telangana's identity; it was formally registered in November 2007. Through the organisation, she mobilised the support of women, youth and society during the Telangana statehood struggle.

In 2008, she worked with historians and archaeologists on initiatives to preserve Telangana's historical heritage, including conservation efforts at the Koti Lingala Temple. In 2010, she visited the Chenchu tribe in the Nallamala Forest and opposed deforestation and mining activity in the area.

Telangana Jagruthi currently operates skill centres training 8,500 students across Telangana.

Kavitha was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Nizamabad constituency, serving from 16 May 2014 to 23 May 2019. In the 2014 election, she won with 439,307 votes (42.49%), defeating the Indian National Congress's Madhu Yaskhi Goud by a margin of 167,184 votes.

During her time as a Member of Parliament, Kavitha served on the Estimates Committee and the Standing Committee on Commerce, and on the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation. She was nominated to the steering committee of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) India Region.

She was also part of the Vice President's delegation to Cambodia and Laos, and the Lok Sabha Speaker's delegation to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

Kavitha was elected to the Telangana Legislative Council from the Nizamabad Local Authorities constituency in a bypoll in October 2020, winning 728 of 823 votes. She was elected unopposed for a second term in December 2021 and took oath as MLC on 19 January 2022.

Her resignation from the Council was accepted by the Chairman, Gutha Sukender Reddy, on 6 January 2026.

Kavitha has held honorary leadership positions in several labour and civic organisations, including Honorary President of the Telangana Rashtra Vidyut Karmika Sangham (the electricity employees' union) and of the Telangana Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association.

In 2025, she was elected honorary president of the Hindusthan Mazdoor Sabha's Singareni Miners and Engineering Workers' Union. She was also elected the first state chief commissioner of the Telangana chapter of Bharat Scouts and Guides.

Kavitha has campaigned on the Women's Reservation Bill and on Backward Classes (BC) reservation. On 10 March 2025, she held a day-long hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, followed by a round-table conference on 15 March 2025 in New Delhi calling for the immediate introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill.

On the BC reservation campaign, she held more than 20 round-table conferences across the state, launched a 72-hour hunger strike at Dharna Chowk on 4 August 2025 demanding 42% BC reservation (called off the same day after police denied permission), met with the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, and announced a state-wide Rail Roko protest for 17 July 2025 demanding central government approval of the 42% BC reservation bills.

As the founder of numerous companies across different sectors, Surabhi has demonstrated a commitment to establishing and growing organisations, developing teams and creating sustainable business opportunities. Her entrepreneurial work encompasses business development, workforce expansion and employment generation, with a focus on connecting talent to opportunities and supporting the growth of India's workforce.

Through her companies and the Advance India initiative, she has contributed to placing over one lakh people in employment. Her approach to entrepreneurship is grounded in the belief that building successful businesses can create wider economic opportunities, support social mobility and contribute to national development.

Her vision extends beyond individual ventures to strengthening India's entrepreneurial and technological ecosystem. She advocates for greater investment in homegrown innovation, indigenous digital platforms and domestic technology capabilities. Through Advance India, she promotes the development of Indian alternatives in the digital economy, with a focus on data sovereignty, technological self-reliance and the creation of high-value employment.

As Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs, TRS, Surabhi is focused on developing a structured approach to international engagement and strengthening the foundations for meaningful diplomatic dialogue. Her vision is to build institutional relationships with international political representatives, organisations and stakeholders while exploring opportunities for economic, technological and cultural cooperation.

She views diplomacy as more than formal political interaction. In her approach, effective international relations involve a combination of strategic dialogue, economic partnerships, institutional cooperation and a clear understanding of geopolitical developments.

Her interests in foreign policy include strategic diplomacy, international economic cooperation, emerging technologies, digital sovereignty and India's evolving role in global affairs. She places particular importance on connecting foreign policy objectives with practical outcomes, including investment, knowledge exchange, innovation and employment.

Her vision for international affairs encompasses:

• Strategic diplomacy: Establishing structured channels for international dialogue and developing enduring relationships with political, economic and institutional stakeholders.
• Foreign policy formulation: Developing forward-looking policy frameworks that account for geopolitical developments, national priorities, economic interests and emerging international challenges.
• Economic diplomacy: Exploring opportunities for international trade, investment, entrepreneurship and business partnerships that can contribute to India's economic development.
• Technology and digital diplomacy: Encouraging international collaboration in emerging technologies while supporting India's digital sovereignty and domestic innovation.
• Institutional cooperation: Developing frameworks for engagement between Indian and international institutions, with clearly defined priorities and practical objectives.
• Global positioning: Encouraging greater participation in international discussions on technology, economic development, governance and strategic cooperation.

Surabhi believes that effective diplomacy requires strategic foresight, detailed policy understanding and the ability to translate international relationships into meaningful institutional and economic outcomes.

Policy development is a significant part of Surabhi's professional interests and leadership vision. She believes that sound policymaking requires an understanding of complex issues, careful consideration of available approaches and the ability to turn strategic ideas into workable institutional frameworks.

Her policy interests span foreign affairs, economic development, technology, employment generation and women's empowerment. She is particularly interested in how policies can address emerging challenges, strengthen institutional capacity and support long-term development.

Her approach to policy formulation emphasises research-informed thinking, clear strategic objectives, institutional accountability and effective implementation. She places importance on identifying the relationship between domestic priorities and international developments, especially in areas such as technology, economic diplomacy and geopolitical cooperation.

She sees policymaking as an ongoing process that requires collaboration across sectors, engagement with stakeholders and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Surabhi has worked as a political strategist in the United States elections of 2012 and 2026, bringing an international dimension to her experience in political strategy and campaign-related work.

As the National Spokesperson of TRS, she participates in public communication and political discourse, articulating party positions and engaging with public affairs. Her role reflects an interest in communicating political perspectives, addressing issues of public importance and contributing to discussions on social and economic development.

Her experience in political strategy complements her broader work in policy and international relations. She recognises the importance of clear communication, strategic planning and effective engagement in helping institutions explain their objectives and connect with the public.

A central pillar of Surabhi's professional and public vision is her commitment to women's empowerment. She believes that women should have meaningful opportunities to participate in entrepreneurship, governance, politics, policymaking and international engagement.

Her vision goes beyond representation, emphasising women's involvement in leadership and decision-making. She considers financial independence, employment, entrepreneurship and access to leadership opportunities essential to expanding women's participation in economic and public life.

Through her business and public engagements, she seeks to encourage greater opportunities for women to lead organisations, influence policy and contribute to the development of their communities.

Through the Advance India initiative, Surabhi has championed a vision of national development focused on technological independence, employment generation, indigenous innovation and institution-building.

The initiative promotes the development of Indian digital platforms and technology infrastructure, with particular emphasis on data sovereignty and the growth of domestic capabilities.

Her vision includes encouraging an ecosystem in which Indian businesses can develop original technologies, compete in international markets and create employment opportunities for the country's growing workforce.

Surabhi's experience in entrepreneurship, political strategy and public affairs informs her interest in India's position in an increasingly interconnected world. She recognises that economic growth, technological development and international relations are closely linked.

Her international outlook is centred on constructive diplomacy, strategic cooperation and the development of lasting institutional relationships.

Her vision is to contribute to a globally engaged India that continues to strengthen its domestic capabilities while building productive relationships with the international community.

At the heart of Surabhi's work is a belief that leadership is defined by the ability to build institutions, develop people, formulate meaningful policies and create lasting opportunities.

She approaches leadership as a responsibility to think strategically, act with purpose and create pathways for others to participate in economic and public life. Her work brings together entrepreneurship, policy development, diplomacy and women's empowerment in pursuit of a broader vision of national progress.

Surabhi's overarching vision is to combine entrepreneurial leadership, strategic policymaking and effective international engagement to strengthen institutions, expand opportunities for women and young people, advance India's technological and economic capabilities, and contribute to India's growing role on the global stage.