Anna Konidala, wife of Telugu actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, has publicly requested fans and followers to address her by her married name — Anna Konidala — and not by her former surname, Anna Lezhneva. The appeal came through a heartfelt post on her Instagram page on 28 July, ahead of her upcoming birthday.

The Name She Chose

In the post, Anna explained that the name Lezhneva had stuck in public memory because it was widely circulated when news of her marriage to Pawan Kalyan first broke. However, she clarified that the situation changed the moment they wed. 'Most people first got to know me as Anna Lezhneva, because that's the name that was everywhere when news about our marriage came out,' she wrote. 'The funny thing is, our marriage certificate is actually the last official document where that surname appears. On that day, I took my husband's surname and became Anna Konidala.'

She had reportedly drafted and deleted the post multiple times before finally publishing it. 'I wrote it, deleted it… came back to it again. And I just couldn't find the right way to say it,' she noted, describing a name as 'such a personal thing.'

Her Simple Request to Fans

Anna ended the post with a direct appeal: 'So if you've read this far, I just have one small request. Please call me Anna Konidala. It's the one I feel like myself with. Thank you for understanding. It really means a lot to me.'

She also added a personal note about the accompanying photograph, revealing it was taken during 'our very first trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia, together' — offering a rare glimpse into the couple's early shared memories.

Tirumala Climb and Family Context

The name post follows a period of personal significance for the family. Earlier in July, Anna Konidala had undertaken the challenging foot climb to Tirumala to offer prayers at the Tirupati temple, a visit she described as both physically and mentally demanding. The pilgrimage came after Pawan Kalyan underwent a successful surgery.

'I knew the climb to Tirumala would be difficult. I just didn't expect it to be this difficult,' she wrote at the time. 'There were so many moments when I wanted to stop and give up. So I started counting my blessings instead of the steps.' She listed her family, health, and the prayers of millions of supporters among those blessings.

Reflecting on the experience, she wrote: 'By the end, I was completely exhausted. But somewhere in the way I realised that nobody was climbing because it was easy. Everyone had their own prayer, hope or gratitude. Maybe that's why this journey stays with so many people. You arrive tired… but your heart feels lighter than when you started.'

Who Is Anna Konidala

Anna Konidala, originally known as Anna Lezhneva, is the wife of Pawan Kalyan, one of Telugu cinema's most prominent stars and the current Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Since her marriage, she has maintained an active presence on social media, sharing personal milestones and reflections with a growing following.

With her birthday approaching, the name clarification marks a considered step toward establishing her public identity on her own terms — a moment that is both personal and, given her husband's profile, inevitably public.