Ramoji Rao passes away

Hyderabad: The Media Moghul and chairman of the Eenadu group Cherukuri Ramoji Rao (88), a versatile genius whose work is unparalleled across various fields like media, hospitality, NBFC, food and retail store chain, passed away here on Saturday.

His last rites will be performed on Sunday with full state honours.

Ramoji Rao was honoured with the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan in 2016. Ramoji Rao's rise to become the founder of Eenadu, the largest circulated Telugu daily, and a tycoon, from humble beginnings is legendary. Majority of the present Telugu journalists are from Eenadu School of Journalism. The firms founded by him -- Eenadu newspaper, ETV bouquet of channels, the world's largest film city Ramoji Film City, Dolphin group of hotels, Margadarsi Chit Fund, film production company Ushakiran Movies, Priya Foods and others provided jobs to thousands and continue to impact the lives of millions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and elsewhere.

Born on November 16, 1936, in Krishna district of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rao hails from a middle-class family of farmers. Ramoji Rao ventured into the media sector with the launch of ‘Annadata’, a magazine for the peasants, in 1969. Telugu daily Eenadu founded by him in the port city of Visakhapatnam in 1974 revolutionized the newspaper industry in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and continues to be the largest circulated Telugu daily with multiple editions.

Eenadu became a pioneer in several ways as Ramoji Rao, who is known for his punctuality, had ensured that the newspaper reached readers before sunrise. Use of simple Telugu, increased coverage of local news and special editions for each district made the newspaper extremely popular with the readers.

Eenadu’s campaign ‘to restore democracy’ when TDP founder N T Rama Rao was dislodged from power in 1984 in a bloodless coup which ultimately led to NTR returning to power is a milestone in Ramoji Rao’s life.

Permanent houses and schools have been built in several states with the funds collected through Eenadu relief fund following natural calamities. Many Telugu words coined by Eenadu with the advent of internet have become part of the Telugu lexicon. ETV was among the first satellite entertainment channels in Telugu after the monopoly of Doordarshan came to an end.

The Ramoji Film City has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest film city. Thousands of films, including SS Rajamouli’s famous ‘Bahubali’, in almost all Indian languages and some of the Hindi blockbusters have been shot at there.