Ravi Hegde is the Editor-in-Chief of Kannada Prabha – the influential Kannada Daily published out of six centers in Karnataka. The Newspaper is part of the reputed Asianet News Group, which is one of the largest media houses of South India.
He leads the entire chain of editorial operations of Kannada Prabha and mentors all the editorial leaders of Suvarna News 24×7 Television. In fact, it is his second stint with Kannada Prabha and Suvarna News 24×7. Prior to this, he was the Group Editor of Udayavani and Roopatara, flagship publications of Manipal Media Network Ltd.
A man with impeccable journalistic credentials and vast knowledge in politics, technology, business, economy, tourism and culture among other things, he is an expert in Print, Television and Digital Media. A popular Television panelist on many Kannada Channels, Ravi Hegde is an important opinion leader in Karnataka with his insightful and balanced arguments on current affair shows. He has led the digital revolution of Kannada Journalism since 1995 from computerisation of Newsroom to developing News Portals and designing the first Kannada Newspaper App for mobiles and tablets. As a subject expert and a resource person, he regularly gives speeches and lectures in many Karnataka Universities, Colleges and conclaves.
In a first ever initiative in South India, he has produced a 3D print magazine ‘Roopatara’, the viewing of which was aided by special 3D glasses. Thus, in 2012, when he was the editor, Roopatara became the first-ever Indian “3D film magazine”!
Seen behind him is the “Flying White House”– The Air Force One, the official aircraft of President of America. When he 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.
Among many of his international media assignments, 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. He extensively traveled across America and covered the US Presidential elections of 2008 and 2016 which were historic due to the candidature of Mr. Barak Obama and Mr. Donald Trump.
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 News Editor of Kannada Prabha, in early 2000s, the newsroom in Kannada journalism took a new leap with a healthy blend of technology and journalism.
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.
Ravi Hegde is the 2008 alumnus of prestigious “United States International Visitor Leadership Program on Edward R Murrow Program for Journalists”. He has 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, South Africa, Hong Kong and Macau on professional assignments.
He is the recipient of 2013 Annual award of Karnataka Media Academy and 2017 Kempe Gowda Award for his contribution to Kannada Journalism. He was felicitated with ‘Patrikodyama Bheeshma Shyama Rao Award 2016′, Bangalore Press club and Round Table India ‘Media Titan Award 2015′ and many more recognitions.
He holds the Master’s Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism – MA MCJ. 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. Later, he shifted his orbit from print to television. He joined Suvarna News TV in 2009 as Editor and relaunched and rebranded it as Suvarna News 24×7. He completely revamped the channel along with his other colleagues to reach its lifetime peak. Then in 2011 he joined Manipal Group to head its media operations. He became the Group Editor of Udayavani and Roopatara and created many glorious milestones. Now he is back to Kannada Prabha and Suvarna News 24×7.
He is among the lucky few to have been mentored by the legendary editor, the late Y.N.K and internationally acclaimed journalist and author, Padmabhushana T.J.S.George.
While he writes on a range of Social and Administrative Reforms, Politics, Tourism, Science and Technology, Consumer Trends and Internet Life, Defense, Business and Personal Finance are his special interests. Magic and Painting are his hobbies.
