Nambala Keshava Rao

Nambala Keshava Rao
2nd General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist)
In office
10 November 2018  21 May 2025
Preceded byMuppala Lakshmana Rao
Personal details
Born1955 (1955)
Jiyannapet, Srikakulam district, Andhra State, India
Died21 May 2025(2025-05-21) (aged 69–70)
Abujhmarh, Chhattisgarh, India
Political partyCommunist Party of India (Maoist)
Other political
affiliations
People's War Group
Alma materNational Institute of Technology, Warangal

Nambala Keshava Rao (1955 – 21 May 2025), commonly known by his nom de guerre Basavraj or Gaganna, was an Indian militant, Maoist politician and the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). He was on the Indian National Investigation Agency's list of most wanted criminals.

Earlier, he had been the Chief of the CPI's Central Military Commission. In November 2018, he became the Supreme Commander of the party after the resignation of Muppala Lakshmana Rao (alias Ganapathy).

He was killed in a gunfight with government forces on 21 May 2025, alongside 27 other Naxals.