Mallana (15th century) was a Telugu poet and one of the Astadiggajas (literally means eight elephants) in the court of the king Krishnadevaraya.
He said that his birthplace was part of Rayalaseema (means land ruled by Rayas, Vijayanagara kings) in his works.
He dedicated his work to Nadendla Appana (popularly known as Appaji), the governor of Kondavidu and nephew of a Minister called Saluava Timmana in the Vijayanagara Empire.
Like other poets of Prabhanda (fiction) period, his story seems completely original and there is no Sanskrit equivalent to it.
Compared to his contemporaries, he is restrained in presenting romance.