Last rites of Ramoji Rao held in Hyderabad, Chandrababu Naidu attends funeral

Funeral held with state honours at Ramoji Film City

Hyderabad: The last rites for industrialist and media mogul Ramoji Rao took place at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad on Sunday morning.

The funeral rites were held with state honours of the Telangana government. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu attended the last rites of Rao.

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The Andhra Pradesh government had also nominated three senior IAS officers to attend his funeral. And the state government had announced that it would observe State mourning on Sunday and Monday (June 9-10).

Rao passed away while undergoing treatment at Star Hospitals in Hyderabad early on Saturday. He was 87.

Top leaders of the country, including President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, on Saturday condoled the death of Rao.

“When I think of Ramoji Rao Garu, I recall a multifaceted luminary whose brilliance had no parallel. He hailed from an agrarian family and went on to make a mark in diverse worlds- cinema, entertainment, media, agriculture, education and governance. But what remained common during his entire life journey was his humility and connect with the grassroots. These traits endeared him to a broad spectrum of people,” Modi said in an article written in tribute to the industrialist.

“He was 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 posted on X.

“Ramoji Rao Garu was extremely passionate about India’s development. I am fortunate to have got several opportunities to interact with him and benefit from his wisdom. Condolences to his family, friends and countless admirers during this difficult time. Om Shanti,” he added.

Ramoji Rao’s legacy is vast, encompassing numerous successful business ventures and media productions. Under his leadership, Eenadu became a major force in Telugu media.

His other business ventures include film production house Usha Kiran Movies, film distribution company Mayuri Film Distributors, financial services firm Margadarsi Chit Fund and hotel chain Dolphin Group of Hotels. He was also the head of the ETV Network of television channels.

In 2016, he received the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India, from then-President Pranab Mukherjee.