Cilarapu Damodar Raja Narasimha (born 5 December 1958) is an Indian politician and current Health and Medical Cabinet Minister of Telangana from December 2023.He served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh between 2011 and 2014.[3] He represented Andole constituency as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Indian National Congress, and held ministerial portfolios of Higher education and Agriculture (in charge).[4]
Cilarapu Damodar Raja Narasimha was born on 5 December 1958 in a DalitMadiga family in Medak district to Congress politician Raja Narsimha and Janabai.[5][6] His father served as an MLA representing Andole thrice.
Narasimha graduated from the tertiary institution as an engineer. Following the death of his father, Narasimha gave up his dream of becoming a bureaucrat and entered politics.[5]
Narasimha began his political career in 1989 when he was elected as an MLA from Andole (SC) constituency as a member of Indian National Congress. He lost subsequent elections until winning again in 2004 and later in 2009.[5]
In 2004, Narasimha joined YS Rajasekhar Reddy's cabinet as a Minister for Primary Education. In 2009, he was appointed Minister for Marketing and Warehousing.[5][7]
Narasimha became Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on 10 June 2011 and served until April 2014.[8][9]
In2023 Assembly Elections he contested from Andole and won with a majority of 27427 votes on BRS candidate Chanti Kranthi Kiran. He took oath as minister at L B Stadium in Hyderabad on 7 december 2023 and later he were assigned Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology portfolios on 9 december 2023 in Revanth Reddy Ministry.[10][11]
