Ramoji the legend: CM Naidu pitches Bharat Ratna for media mogul

Vijayawada: Ramoji Group chairman the late Ramoji Rao was accorded rich tributes at a memorial meeting by the Andhra Pradesh government at Anumolu Gardens in Vijayawada on Thursday. The memorial meeting was organised in honour of the Padma Vibhushan awardee, who passed away on June 8.

Recollecting the services made by Ramoji Rao to Telugu people and to the field of journalism and film industry, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu announced the setting up of Ramoji Vignana Kendram,besides a road after him in the capital city of Amaravati. Ramoji Rao Chitra Nagar will also come up in Visakhapatnam in honour of Ramoji Rao, he said.

The Chief Minister said that Ramoji Rao had suggested the name of Amaravati for the new capital. Calling Ramoji Rao a legend, Naidu said the media mogul had visualized Amaravati. Hesaid he would develop Amaravati as visualized by the visionary.

Several leaders of various political parties, reputed journalists and a large number of personalities from the film industry attended the commemoration meeting.

Naidu recalled how the NTR Memorial was built in Hyderabad after the death of NTR and similarly Ramoji Vignana Kendram will be built in Amaravati. He said the Telugu people have to strive to get Bharata Ratna for both NT Ramarao and Ramoji Rao, he added.

“Ramoji Rao is well known for success in many fields and we have to get inspiration from him and should pass on to the next generations,” he said. Ramoji Rao was born in a small village in Pedaparupudi mandal of Krishna district and reached greater heights in journalism and other fields, the CM said, adding that Ramoji Rao first brought ‘Anna Daata’ magazine to help the farmers’ community before launching the Eenadu newspaper in 1974. He also said that Ramoji Rao has become number one in every field he has chosen. Naidu said that Ramoji Rao had always tried to protect democracy and made uncompromised fight for the same.