There was another branch of the Telugu Chodas ruled from Nellore and chieftains of Kakatiyas. The Telugu poet, Tikkana, in the introduction of his "Nirvachanottara Ramayanamu", gave an account of the history and antecedents of this family. These Chodas also claimed descent from the famous Karikala Chola. They ruled over their kingdom consisting of the Nellore, Cuddapah, Chittoor and Chengalpet districts with Vikramasimhapuri (modern Nellore) as their capital.

Chola Bijjana was the first important chief in the Nellore Choda clan. As a feudatory of the Western Chalukya Someswara I (1042–1068 ) of Kalyani, he took part in the wars of the Chalukyas and Cholas. In recognition of the loyalty and services of his descendants to the Chalukyas of Kalyani, Vikramadiya II (1076–1126 ) appointed them as rulers of Pakanadu.

Later Tikka (1223–1248 ) father of the famous Manumasiddhi, extended the sway of the Nellore Telugu Chola family as far south as the river Kaveri. He owed nominal allegiance to the already crippled Chalukya Chola emperors of the south, but was practically an independent ruler. Along with the Hoysala Vira Narasimha, he helped the Chalukya Chola ruler Rajaraja Chola III in restoring him back to his throne by repulsing the attacks of Aniyanka Bhima, Kopperunchinga II and the Pandyas.

Subsequently, whan the Hoyasala Vira Narasimha's successor Somesvara, desirous of making the Chalukya Chola ruler a puppet in his hands, joined hands with the Pandyas and attacked Rajendra IIl, Choda TiKka came to the rescue of the Chola emperor. He defeated both the Hoyasala and the Pandyan forces and got thereby the Tondaimandalam region for himself. He even assumed the title "Cholasthapanacharya". During the reign of Tikka's son and successor Manumasiddhi II (1248–1263), the power of the Nellore Cholas was at its low ebb.

About the year 1260, a dangerous feud broke out between Manumasiddhi and Katamaraju, the chief of Erragaddapadu in Kanigiri region. The feud was on the issue of the rights of the two princes to use certain wide meadows as grazing grounds for their flocks of cattle. It led to the fierce engagement of the two sides and the bloody battle was fought at Panchalingala on the Paleru river. Manumasiddhi's forces led by Khadga Tikkana, the cousin of poet Tikkana won the battle, but the leader perished. This feud and the consequent battle formed the theme of the popular ballad entitled "Katamaraju Katha". Shortly after this disastrous battle, Manumasiddhi died.

With the death of Manumasiddhi II, the Nellore kingdom lost its individuality, became a battle ground between the Kakatiyas and the Pandyas and changed hands frequently. In the reign of Kakatiya Prataparudra II, the Nellore region became part and parcel of the Kakatiya empire and lost its political significance.

Telugu Chodas of Nellore
Nannuru Cholas
Advances in Telugu literature
Konidena Cholas