Cherukuri Ramoji Rao (16 November 1936 – 8 June 2024) was an Indian media entrepreneur, film producer and businessman from Andhra Pradesh. He was the founder and chairman of the Ramoji Group, whose interests spanned print and electronic media, film production, hospitality, food processing and finance. He is best known for founding the Telugu daily Eenadu in 1974, the ETV network of satellite television channels, and Ramoji Film City near Hyderabad, which is widely cited as one of the largest integrated film studio complexes in the world.
Key facts
| Full name | Cherukuri Ramoji Rao |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 November 1936, Pedaparupudi, Krishna district, Madras Presidency (present-day Andhra Pradesh) |
| Died | 8 June 2024, Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Media entrepreneur, film producer, businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Eenadu, ETV Network, Ramoji Film City |
| Organisation | Ramoji Group |
| Notable awards | Padma Vibhushan (2016), Padma Bhushan, Raghupathi Venkaiah Award |
Background and early life
Ramoji Rao was born into an agricultural family in Pedaparupudi, a village in the Krishna district of coastal Andhra. He completed his education in Andhra Pradesh and began his career in advertising in Delhi before returning to set up his own ventures. His early business interests included Margadarsi Chit Fund, a chit fund company that would later grow into one of the larger such enterprises in southern India, and Priya Foods, known for pickles and packaged food products.
Eenadu and print media
Eenadu, a Telugu-language daily, was launched on 10 August 1974 from Visakhapatnam. The newspaper expanded rapidly with district editions across Andhra Pradesh, pioneering localisation of news and a network of district tabloid pull-outs. By the late twentieth century, Eenadu had become the largest-circulated Telugu daily, a position it has long held. The publication played a notable role in the politics of the Telugu states, and is regarded as having contributed to the rise of the Telugu Desam Party founded by N. T. Rama Rao in 1982.
ETV and broadcasting
In 1995, Ramoji Rao launched ETV (Eenadu Television), a Telugu satellite channel. The network later expanded into multiple languages with channels such as ETV Bangla, ETV Marathi, ETV Kannada, ETV Urdu, ETV Gujarati, ETV Rajasthan, ETV Uttar Pradesh and ETV Bihar, along with news and entertainment offerings. A controlling stake in several of the regional ETV channels was acquired by the Reliance group through Network18 in subsequent years, while ETV Telugu and the news operations remained part of the Ramoji Group.
Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City, located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, was inaugurated in 1996. Spread over a large campus near Hayathnagar, it functions both as an integrated film production facility, with sets, sound stages, post-production units and outdoor locations, and as a tourist destination. It has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's largest film studio complex by area, and has hosted productions in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and other Indian and international languages.
Other businesses
- Margadarsi Chit Fund – chit fund and financial services company.
- Priya Foods – packaged foods, especially pickles and ready-to-eat products.
- Dolphin Group of Hotels – hospitality interests in coastal Andhra Pradesh.
- Kalanjali – a chain of retail stores featuring handlooms and Indian crafts.
- Ushakiron Movies – film production banner that produced Telugu and Hindi films, including Nuvve Kavali (2000) and Chitram (2000).
- Mayuri and other film labels associated with the group.
Film production
Through Ushakiron Movies and associated banners, Ramoji Rao produced a number of Telugu films, often featuring debut directors and new actors. The production house was associated with family-oriented films and several commercially successful ventures during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He received the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award from the Andhra Pradesh government for his contribution to Telugu cinema.
Awards and honours
- Padma Vibhushan (2016), India's second-highest civilian honour, in the field of journalism and literature.
- Padma Bhushan, awarded earlier for his contribution to journalism.
- Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for lifetime contribution to Telugu cinema.
- Several honorary doctorates and industry awards from journalism and film bodies.
Timeline
- 1936 – Born in Pedaparupudi, Krishna district.
- 1962 – Established Margadarsi Chit Fund.
- 1974 – Launched Eenadu daily from Visakhapatnam.
- 1980s – Expansion of Eenadu into multiple district editions; entry into film production.
- 1995 – Launch of ETV satellite channel.
- 1996 – Inauguration of Ramoji Film City near Hyderabad.
- 2016 – Conferred the Padma Vibhushan.
- 2024 – Died on 8 June in Hyderabad.
Significance
Ramoji Rao is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Telugu media and a major entrepreneur of post-independence south India. Eenadu reshaped Telugu journalism with its localisation strategy and consolidation of regional readership, while ETV broadened the regional satellite television market in the 1990s. Ramoji Film City contributed to making Hyderabad an important hub for Indian and international film production. His ventures also had a perceptible influence on the political landscape of undivided Andhra Pradesh and the later states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Death
Ramoji Rao died on 8 June 2024 in Hyderabad after a period of illness. Tributes were paid by political leaders, film industry figures and journalists, and his last rites were held with state honours.