Araga Jnanendra is an Indian politician who previously served as the Minister of Home Department Excluding Intelligence Wing of Karnataka from 4 August 2021 to 13 May 2023. He is the Member of the Karnataka Legislative assembly from Thirthahalli constituency.

Araga Jnanendra Kumar was born in 1953 in Hisana, Araga village, located in the Thirthahalli taluk. He received his primary education in the village. He went on to complete his B.Com. degree at State College in Shimoga.

He is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and began his career in electoral politics in 1983.

In 1983 and 1985 he contested and lost Member of Legislative assembly (MLA) elections.

In 1986 he won Jilla Parishatha election and worked as President of Krushi Sthayi Samithi. In 1989 he lost the MLA elections for the third time. He finally won the Member of Legislative assembly (MLA) election for the first time in 1994.

Beginning in 1991 he worked in Shimoga Co-operative Milk Dairy.

He was reelected in the MLA election in 1999 and 2004 but in 2009 he lost the MLA election.

In 2009 he was selected Chairman of Mysore Paper Mills, Badravathi.