Kamma
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A caste (community) mainly from the state Andhra Pradesh (AP) in southern India. They consider themselves Kshatriyas, and are also referred to as Kamma naidus or kammavar naidus in the southern parts of the state and neighbouring Tamilnadu state, and as Choudhurys in some parts of coastal AP. There are significant numbers of this community members in Chennai (Madras) and Bangalore as well.
Kammas are considered one of the most influential communities in Andhra Pradesh, their presence being particularly strong in politics and the movie industry. They are generally found in roles ranging from large scale industrialists to small business entrepreneurs, although many of them also choose to enter government service as permanent employees. Many kammas in villages are land owners and agriculturists.
History: Kammas began to gain status in Andhra Pradesh early during the second millennium AD. The Kakatiyas (Kaakateeyas) of Warangal (Orugallu) were the most well known of Kamma kings. In the middle ages they either controlled small areas or were in important positions in the armies of kings. After the decline of major kingdoms they still owned large fertile lands. Owing mainly to this they continued to dominate in the villages as small kings, Zameendars and village heads, especially in coastal AP, much akin to the Reddys in the western parts of the state. During the twentieth century, several kammas were attracted to leftist ideals and led to the establishment of the Communist party as a strong political force in the state. Many relinquished their lands and actively worked for the land distribution reforms.
In the late decades of last century some of them migrated to other parts of the world, particularly to the US, UK and Australia.
Notable Kammas: Tripuraneni Ramaswamy Choudhury (social reformer and founder of the rationalist movement in AP), Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (aka NTR, matinee idol who became the chief minister of AP later), Chandra Babu Naidu (high-profile chief minister of AP during the 1990s), Akkineni Nageswara Rao (actor and matinee idol, won the Dada Saheb Phalke award).