Jupally Krishna Rao, born on August 10, 1955, is an experienced Indian politician and former Minister of Telangana, renowned for being elected five times as an MLA from the Kollapur constituency in the Telangana Legislative Assembly. Beginning his career as a bank employee and then as a successful construction businessman, Rao first entered politics with the Congress Party, serving in significant ministerial roles in YS Rajasekhar Reddy and Kiran Kumar Reddy’s cabinets in Andhra Pradesh. He made a notable shift to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in 2011. Although he faced a setback in the 2018 Assembly Elections, Rao made a strong comeback in the 2023 elections, winning from Kollapur against a BRS candidate. In December 2024, he was appointed as the Minister for Prohibition and Excise, Tourism and Culture in the Revanth Reddy Ministry, marking a continued and influential presence in Telangana’s political landscape.