Twenty-three people died in seven districts of Andhra Pradesh. Nine people were killed in the eastern state of Orissa.
Most of the people who died were working on farms during torrential rains on Sunday, reports said.
Lightning strikes are common in India during heavy monsoon rains.
In Andhra Pradesh, the deaths occurred in Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari, Anantapur and Srikakulam districts. At least six women were among those who died.
Reports said two teams of women cricketers had a narrow escape when lightning struck a palm tree near the ground where they were playing a match in Guntur district. The game was called off.
"It was a miraculous escape for our players as well as the staff," a senior cricket official told The Times of India newspaper.
In Orissa, nine people were killed and at least eight injured in separate incidents of lightning strikes.
India receives 80% of its annual rainfall during the monsoon season, which runs between June and September.
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