Rudrama Devi For Warangal Airport? Revanth’s Kakatiya Name Game Revives Old Emblem Row

The proposed naming of the upcoming Mamnoor airport in Warangal has triggered a fresh debate over Telangana’s Kakatiya heritage after Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy invited suggestions for the airport’s name.

According to reports, several names linked to Warangal’s history have emerged in the suggestions, including Kakatiya, Rani Rudrama Devi, Orugallu and Prataparudra.

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who hails from Warangal, has also publicly suggested names such as “Rudrama International Airport” and “Kakatiya International Airport”, with the objective of reflecting the region’s historical and cultural identity.

Sources have indicated that Rani Rudrama Devi is likely to be considered as the proposed name for the airport. However, the final name is yet to be formally announced and will have to go through the required approval process.

The possible choice of a Kakatiya-era name has also brought Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s earlier remarks on Kakatiya symbolism back into the political discussion.

In 2024, while discussing the redesign of Telangana’s official emblem, Reddy had said that the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam would not be retained in the new emblem. He had described the Thoranam as a “symbol of anarchy” and said the state’s official identity should instead reflect the Telangana movement, its struggles and sacrifices.

The airport naming exercise, however, is centred specifically on Warangal’s historical and cultural identity, rather than the official identity of Telangana as a state.

Warangal, historically known as Orugallu, served as the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty. Rulers including Rudra Deva, Ganapatideva, Rani Rudrama Devi and Prataparudra are closely associated with the history of the region.

The reference to “Rudra Dev” has added another layer to the discussion.

Rudra Deva was a prominent Kakatiya ruler. At the same time, reports have previously stated that Revanth Reddy uses “Rudra Dev” as a name for his grandson, whose reported official name is Reyansh.

There is no official indication that the government has proposed naming the airport after the Chief Minister’s grandson. The reported discussion is centred on Rani Rudrama Devi and other names associated with Warangal’s history.

The coincidence has nevertheless become part of the broader conversation surrounding the airport naming exercise, particularly because of Reddy’s earlier position on Kakatiya imagery in the state emblem.

Reddy has subsequently maintained that his government respects Telangana’s historical and cultural heritage, while arguing that official state symbols should reflect the Telangana movement and the sacrifices associated with the separate-state struggle.

The Mamnoor airport issue presents a different context. While the emblem debate was about the symbols representing the Telangana state, the airport naming exercise is about representing the history and identity of Warangal through a major public infrastructure project.

The proposed airport has itself been associated with the region’s heritage, with discussions around incorporating Kakatiya architectural and cultural elements into the project.

The final name of the airport has not yet been formally announced. Until the approval process is completed, the suggestions and reports around Rani Rudrama Devi, Kakatiya and other historical figures remain part of the ongoing debate.

For now, the naming exercise has once again put Warangal’s Kakatiya legacy at the centre of a political and cultural discussion in Telangana.