Cherukuri Ramoji Rao, more commonly known as Ramoji Rao, stands as a towering figure in the Indian media landscape. Born on November 16, 1936, in Pedaparupudi, a small village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, Ramoji Rao’s journey from a modest rural background to becoming a media mogul is nothing short of inspirational. His contributions to journalism, film production, and business have made him a household name in India.
Ramoji Film City peak revenue was $1.1B in 2023. Ramoji Film City has 30,000 employees. Every year, they shoot over 200 films here. It has over 500 set locations that’s why it is the first choice of every film/Serial maker. Spread over 1,666 acres, it is the largest film studio complex in the world and as such has been certified by the Guinness World Records. The Guardian described Ramoji Film City as “city within a city.”
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He had also founded Eenadu, a Telugu-language daily newspaper. Launched in 1974, Eenadu quickly rose to prominence and became one of the most widely read newspapers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Rao’s innovative approach to journalism, focusing on local news and issues related to the common man, struck a chord with readers. His dedication to maintaining high standards of reporting and editorial independence helped Eenadu earn the trust and loyalty of millions.
Recognizing the potential of television as a medium, Ramoji Rao expanded his media empire to include ETV Network, a group of satellite television channels. Launched in the mid-1990s, ETV quickly gained popularity for its diverse programming, which includes news, entertainment, and regional content.
He was having phenomenon business acumen, Ramoji Rao’s business ventures are not only limited to media and entertainment. He had diversified his businesses into sectors such as finance, hospitality, and education. His entrepreneurial spirit and keen business acumen have helped him build a diversified conglomerate, the Ramoji Group, which operates successfully across multiple industries.His other business ventures include Margadarsi Chit Fund, Dolphin Group of hotels, Kalanjali shopping mall, Priya pickles, and Mayuri Film Distributors.
he was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor, for his contributions in journalism, literature and education in 2016, Even though he was a media tycoon, Ramoji Rao always preferred to stay away from cameras. As he didn’t make many public appearances, people didn’t get to see him often in the media.