B.Saroja Devi wins N T Rama Rao National Film Award

Yesteryear actress B. Saroja Devi was honoured with the prestigious N.T. Rama Rao National Film Award for 2009.

Yesteryear actress B. Saroja Devi was honoured with the prestigious N.T. Rama Rao National Film Award for 2009. Noted director K. Raghavendra Rao was chosen for the B N Reddy National Film Award while media baron and film producer Ramoji Rao was handed the Nagireddy-Chakrapani National Award instituted by Andhra Pradesh. Producer K.Raghava was given the Raghupati Venkaiah Award,the Telugu equivalent of Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Kiran Kumar Reddy presented the awards at a function in Hyderabad on December 12.

Born in Karnataka,72-year-old Saroja Devi has acted in about 170 films in Telugu,Tamil,Kannada and Hindi and won several honours at the state and the national level. She was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 1992. Saroja Devi made her debut in Telugu cinema with the legendary N T Rama Raos Panduranga Mahatyam and went on to act alongside him in many other films. She also starred opposite Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The NTR National Film Award comprises a cash prize of Rs five lakh,a memento and a citation.

K Raghavendra Rao,chosen for the B N Reddy award instituted in the name of the acclaimed Telugu film director,directed about 100 films in Telugu,Tamil,Kannada and Hindi with all the top stars in the respective industries. Son of another famous Telugu director K.S.Prakasa Rao,Raghavendra was known for his powerful action-oriented films. He adopted a unique style in filming songs that made him immensely popular with the audiences not only in the South but also in the North. The B N Reddy award comprises a cash prize of Rs two lakh besides a citation and a memento.

Story continues below this ad

Ramoji Rao is the chief of Ramoji Group,which publishes the popular Telugu daily Eenadu and runs the Eenadu television channel in 14 languages. He produced many movies with real-life stories like Mayuri (story of a physically-challenged dancer) and Aswini (athlete Aswini Nachappa). He also built the world-famous Ramoji Film City,which found its place in the Guinness Book Of World Records,on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The Nagireddy-Chakrapani award,instituted after the famous Telugu film-makers of Vijaya Productions fame,comprises a cash prize of two lakh rupees besides a citation and a memento. K Raghava produced several successful Telugu films under his Pratap Art Productions banner with the top stars of the industry. The Raghupati Venkaiah award is in recognition of his services to the film industry.

A five-member committee headed by noted producer G Adiseshagiri Rao has chosen the awardees for the year 2009. CM Kiran Kumar Reddy approved the selection panels recommendations.

Trump vows to keep ‘massive’ tariffs on India until Russian oil imports cease

World40 min ago

President Trump spoke with Prime Minister Modi about India's continued purchases of Russian oil, warning that if they don't stop, tariffs on Indian goods will remain high. However, India denies any conversation took place and defends its energy policy. While the US claims India has halved its Russian oil purchases, Indian sources say there has been no immediate reduction.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS