Mandagadde Krishnarao Indira (5 January 1917 – 15 March 1994) was a well-known Indian novelist in the Kannada language.

Indira was born on 5 January 1917 to T. Suryanarayana Rao, a prosperous agriculturist and Banashankaramma in Thirthahalli, in the Kingdom of Mysore of British India.

Her formal education lasted for seven years, before she married at age twelve to M. Krishna Rao.

Indira's novels, Tungabhadra, Sadananda, Navaratna and Phaniyamma have won the Kannada Sahitya Akademi awards.

In view of her contribution to literature, an award is constituted in Indira's name and is given to the best women writers.