Hyderabad: For millions of Telugus across the globe, the day begins with Eenadu — either the Rs 6.50 broadsheet or the e-paper, and the immensely popular website and app offering minute to minute updated news from everywhere.
With over 1.6 million daily copies, Eenadu masthead has “the largest circulated Telugu daily” line in English as a fixture beneath the paper’s name written in Telugu in bold, blue font. It has also been the largest circulated daily in any language in the two Telugu states for decades now.
On Sunday morning, the hardcopies brought to its readers the belated news of the demise of the doyen who founded the paper in 1974 and revolutionised the newspaper industry and journalism in this part of the country forever.
The 87-year-old Cherukuri Ramoji Rao — the Telugu media baron sometimes referred to as “Rupert Murdoch of India” — breathed his last in the wee hours of Saturday in a corporate hospital in Hyderabad where he was admitted Wednesday for a heart-related illness.
The news of Ramoji’s death spread quickly, with the who’s who of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana gathering at Ramoji Film City (RFC), situated outside Hyderabad on the Vijayawada Highway, to pay their respects. The event was broadcast live not just on ETV network news channels but also on nearly all Telugu news TV channels since Saturday morning.
Expressing grief on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described “Shri Ramoji Rao Garu” as a visionary who revolutionised Indian media. “His rich contributions have left an indelible mark on journalism and the world of films. Through his noteworthy efforts, he set new standards for innovation and excellence in the media and entertainment world.” Modi also shared an old photograph of himself in conversation with Ramoji.
The passing away of Shri Ramoji Rao Garu is extremely saddening. He was a visionary who revolutionized Indian media. His rich contributions have left an indelible mark on journalism and the world of films. Through his noteworthy efforts, he set new standards for innovation and… pic.twitter.com/siC7aSHUxK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 8, 2024
The Modi government had conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second tallest civilian honour, on Ramoji Rao in 2016.
Such is Ramoji’s clout that both AP CM designate Chandrababu Naidu and ally Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan, who were in New Delhi for the NDA meetings and deliberations ahead of Modi’s swearing in and cabinet formation, rushed to Hyderabad to pay their tribute to Ramoji Rao.
The Revanth Reddy government in Telangana had ordered the final rites to be performed at the RFC with full state honours.
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The rise of Ramoji
Ramoji was born on 16 November, 1936, in Pedaparupudi village in Krishna District of then Madras Presidency.
Hailing from a middle-class family of farmers, Ramoji’s pioneering entrepreneurship gave rise to the Ramoji Group, a vast conglomerate which excelled in a diversified set of businesses from printing news to packing pickles.
Ramoji founded Eenadu in Visakhapatnam in August 1974, at a time when Vijayawada was the hub of Telugu newspapers. Morning newspapers that too at the doorstep became the norm only after Eenadu’s advent here. It later started printing colour photos and initiated the widely popular district editions. Eenadu began special sections like Vasundhara for women as early as in 1992.
The Eenadu Journalism School in Hyderabad is the cradle of many established journalists.
In the mid-1990s, when Doordarshan was the only source of visual news or entertainment at homes, Ramoji awed the Telugu audience as ETV became a feature of their living rooms, telecasting serials, news updates, knowledge shows and so on. The endearing announcement in between was “Ee-TV, Mee TV” (This TV is your TV (channel)).
ETV network is a bundle of several channels now and ETV Win is the group’s OTT platform.
Ramoji also founded Ushakiron Movies in 1983, which went on to produce 87 movies in several Indian languages, predominantly Telugu. Many Ushakiron films like Pratighatana and Mayuri reflected the socio-political, societal-cultural aspects of the time and earned many awards, while introducing numerous talented artists to the film industry.
Several of Ramoji Group companies are household names in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana like Margadarsi Chit Fund and Priya pickles.
The group also expanded into hospitality — Dolphin Hotels. Moreover, the RFC, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the worlds’ largest film production facility, also serves as an outing destination and a major tourist spot in Hyderabad.
Far-reaching political clout
Spearheading the widely popular Eenadu, Ramoji is known to have thrown his weight behind the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) since the time matinee idol N.T. Rama Rao formed the regional party in 1983. However, whenever the party was in power, the paper also turned critical over some of its debatable administrative decisions.
While Eenadu solidly backed NTR during the 1984 crisis, it sided with Chandrababu Naidu a decade later in 1995, when the son-in-law rebelled against CM NTR.
Naidu and Ramoji share a very close, trustworthy association of over four decades.
After paying tributes at RFC Saturday, Naidu termed Ramoji’s death “as a great loss not only to the Telugu states but the whole nation”.
In a media statement, the AP Chief Minister-designate recalled “that he used to take Ramoji’s advices, suggestions on certain crucial issues”.
“We are unable to digest the news of Ramoji Rao’s demise,” said the TDP supremo.
Given the influence Ramoji’s Eenadu wielded on public consciousness, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, despite the known political leanings, met Ramoji Rao months ahead of the 2019 polls, seeking support i.e., proper coverage of his campaign in the Eenadu group publications and TV channels.
However, Margadarsi, which faced trouble during YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure earlier, observers say, allegedly became the target of the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime over the past five years. Charging it of irregularities in chit funds management and raiding several of its branches across Andhra Pradesh, the state’s CID, in April 2023, even served notices on and questioned chairman Ramoji Rao and his daughter-in-law Sailaja Kiron, Margadarsi’s Managing Director.
During his 2024 campaign, Jagan frequently mentioned Ramoji and Eenadu, portraying him and the newspaper as an opponent alongside Naidu, Kalyan and few other pro-TDP media houses out to defeat him. The Eenadu group’s coverage, analysts said, was scathingly critical of Jagan’s governance on every aspect especially in the weeks leading up to polling.
Nevertheless, setting aside the political aspects, Jagan Saturday took to X to express his shock over Ramoji Rao’s death.
“He has rendered immeasurable services to the Telugu press for decades. I pray to God that his soul rests in peace. My deepest condolences to Ramoji Rao’s family.”
The AP government has declared two days of mourning on Sunday and Monday.
President Droupadi Murmu, former vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin, former Telangana CM K. Chandrashekar Rao, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh, actors K. Chiranjeevi, Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, and Ram Charan are among those who condoled Ramoji Rao’s demise.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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