India: Veteran actor and former BJP MLA, Kota Srinivasa Rao passed away at the age of 83 on Sunday, July 13, 2025. He was a Padma Shri awardee and an iconic figure in Indian cinema; Rao’s death has left the nation mourning.

Kota Srinivasa was born on July 10, 1942, in Kankipadu, Andhra Pradesh. Initially, he wanted a career in medicine, inspired by his father, Dr. Seetha Rama Anjaneyulu. However, his passion for acting took over him during his college years. He made his film debut in 1978 with Pranam Khareedu, a film that also featured Chiranjeevi’s entry into the cinema. His career spanned over more than four decades, and he has been credited appearences in over 750 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi language.

Kota Srinivasa Rao kept his family life mostly private. He was married to Rukmini Rao, but not much is known about her as she stayed away from media attention. Kota Srinivasa and his wife, Rukmini have two daughters, Pallavi Srinivasa Rao and Pavani Srinivasa Rao. They also had a son, Kota Venkata Anjaneya Prasad, who tragically died in a road accident on June 20, 2010, in Hyderabad. Prasad had acted alongside his father in films like Gaayam 2 and Siddham.

The prolific actor, Kota Srinivasa, had been battling health issues for several years now. According to The Indian Express, his health worsened due to age-related complications, and despite treatment and care at home, he passed away peacefully in his sleep.

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