Hyderabad: A well-known Television journalist Premamalini Vanam has been conferred with the maiden Bhallamudi Rama Krishna Memorial ‘the Best Journalist’ award for 2023 at a glittering programme at the Hyderabad Press Club here on Saturday.
BRK Creations, founded by the family members of BH. Rama Krishna, known as RK in media circles, instituted the award in his memory and presented it to mark his 56th birth anniversary. Senior journalists, VSR Sastry, the Chief Guest of the programme, accompanied by the Guests of Honour–Manjulatha Kalanidhi and Dr S. Ramu and the BRKC founder Vandana Dwibhashyam presented the award along with Rs.25,000 cash prize to Premamalini for her dedicated efforts in the field for the last twenty years.
Prema, while thanking the organisers for selecting her for the award named after an unmatchable mentor to scores of Telugu journalists, said that she considers the award more than Nandi awards she had received. “BRK is a highly respected journalist with a vast experience in three kinds of media-print, electronic, and web and I am so delighted to get an award instituted in his loving memory,” she said.
Senior Journalist VSR Sastry, who had mentored RK at Eenadu General Desk, said that RK deserved the highest positions in the field for his brilliance and knowledge. “It is unfortunate that he didn’t get what he deserved. He is the finest journalist with unparalleled dedication towards the profession,” he said.
Two former colleagues of RK- Manjulatha Kalanidhi, rice bucket challenge fame and Dr S. Ramu, Chairman, Public Relations of India (PRSI) Hyderabad chapter- recollected their association with RK and hailed his journalistic skills of par excellence.
The founder of BRK Creations, Vandana Dwibhashyam, said that her husband always considered journalism as his first wife and was completely dedicated to the profession till he breathed his last due to Covid-19 on May 5, 2021. She said that the award would be presented to a senior journalist every year on RK’s birth anniversary as a mark of respect for his professional dedication and zeal to serve society through media.
RK’s daughter, Sreelasya, anchored the award presentation ceremony and proposed a vote of thanks. Sudhanshu, runner-up at Sarigamapa competition enthralled the audience with his welcome song written and composed by Vandana.
Senior journalists, DHVSSN Murthy (TV-5), PSR Murthy (Ex-Eenadu), Pamidikalva Madhusudhan (Dahtri Communications), Venkat (Andhra Jyothi) and Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (CPRO of the Telangana Chief Minister) also spoke. A good number of journalists paid floral tributes to RK, who worked with Eenadu, EE-TV, N-TV, Deccan Chronicle, The Hans India, and Andhra Jyothi.
