Ravi Hegde is the Group Editor of Udayavani – the influential Kannada daily published out of five centers in Karnataka and from Mumbai. The newspaper is part of the reputed Manipal Group, which has a foothold in both India and overseas.
He leads the entire chain of editorial operations of Udayavani and, the leading film magazine Roopathara. A man with impeccable journalistic credentials, and vast knowledge in the state and national politics, technology, business and economy, culture, among other things, he was part of the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s media delegation to the 21st ASEAN Summit and the Indo-East Asian Summit held in Cambodia in 2012.
In a first ever initiative in South India, he produced a 3D print magazine, the viewing of which is aided by special 3D viewing glasses, which was distributed with the magazine. Thus Roopatara became the first-ever “film magazine” in India to go 3D!
Before joining Udayavani in 2011, He was the Editor of “Suvarna News 24×7″ a Kannada news TV channel, and earlier to that, Executive Editor at Kannada Prabha, the powerful Kannada daily from the stable of the Express Group. He used his knowledge in technology to give a new orbit to the newspaper in terms of its appearance and use of content. Tech savvy, he constantly updated himself about the new-age trends in technology and took his younger colleagues into its realm. During his time as New Editor of Kannada Prabha, in early 2000s, the newsroom in Kannada journalism took a new leap with a healthy blend of technology and journalism.
Seen behind me is the “Flying White House”- The Air Force One, the official aircraft of President of America. When I was in Cambodia for ASEAN – 2012, got a very rare chance of getting close to the Air Force One, the official air craft of Mr. Barack Obama – the President of United State of America.
Ravi Hegde is the 2008 alumnus of prestigious “United States International Visitor Leadership Program on Edward R Murrow Program for Journalists”. He has recently participated in the international conference held in Colombo on the issues related to “Reporting Terrorism, War and Conflicts in South Asia”. He has visited United States of America, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and South Africa on professional calls.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, The Cheif Minister of Karnataka conferred the 2013 Annual Media Academy Award on Ravi Hegde.
With his passion for newspaper design, he has changed the look and face of Kannada Prabha and Udayavani. During his tenure as the Executive Editor in Kannada Prabha his newspaper has won three times, the prestigious Karnataka Media Academy Award for the Best Designed Newspaper, creating a hattrick. His role in introducing the modern news concepts and new news-chemistry to Kannada journalism is critical. He has changed the way the Budgets are being covered by the Kannada media. Not only he is instrumental in launching the Internet Edition of his newspaper but also he is one of the pioneers of Kannada online journalism. He is the recipient of 2013 Annual award of Karnataka Media Academy for his contribution to Kannada Journalism.
He holds the Master’s Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He started his journalism career in 1991 with Munnade – a local newspaper in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada and joined Samyukta Karnataka, Bangalore office in 1993 as a sub-editor / reporter, where he was instrumental in launching a weekly business supplement ‘Vyapara’. He worked as the business bureau chief till he quit Samyukta Karnataka to join Kannada Prabha as a trainee reporter, in 1995. Since then, he has worked in various sections and at various levels to become the Executive Editor of Kannada Prabha.
He is among the lucky few to have been mentored by the legendary editor, the late Y.N.K, Kannada Prabha’s past editor K Satyanarayana and, internationally acclaimed journalist and author, Padmabhushana T.J.S.George.
While he writes on a range of Social and Administrative Reforms, Science and Technology, Consumer Trends and Internet Life, Defence, Business and Personal Finance are his special interests. Magic and Painting are his hobbies.
