Ravi Hegde, currently, is the Executive Editor of Kannada Prabha - a leading Kannada daily from the house of Express Publications (Madurai) Limited. He heads the entire news operations of Kannada Prabha and looks after the day-to-day administration of all editorial staff in Bangalore head quarters, 5 Branch centres and 30 district bureau.
He is co-responsible along with the Editor, for creating and developing the character and the brand-image for his newspaper. He has played a vital role in computerising and technically advancing the newsroom and the news-network of Kannada Prabha. He is also co-responsible for analysing the market trend and shaping-up the newspaper in terms of editorial contents and product design.
With his passion for newspaper design, he has changed the look and face of Kannada Prabha. Behind the scenes of newspaper his role in introducing modern concepts and new news-chemistry to Kannada journalism is critical. During his tenure as the Executive Editor, his newspaper has won three times, the prestigious Karnataka Media Academy Award for the Best Designed Newspaper, creating a hattrick. 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 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. 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 has visited Malaysia, United States of America and Singapore on official call. He is the 2008 alumni of prestigious "United States International Visitor Leadership Program on Edward R Murrow Program for Journalists". He holds the Master's Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism (MA-MCJ).
He is among the lucky few who have been nurtured by the legendary media professionals like Y N Krishnamurthy (YNK), K Satyanarayana and T J S George.
Some of his milestones in Kannada Prabha are:
1995 : Joined as a trainee reporter. Got credits for a few exclusive breaking stories.
1996 : Successfully implemented the Editorial Computerisation Project.
1996 : Transferred to Hyderabad for streamlining the Kannada Prabha edition there.
1997 : Transferred to Belgaum for launching and planning Kannada Prabha edition.
1998 : Transferred to Bangalore Head office to launch the Annual Special Issues.
1998 : Re-launched the Business supplement Vitta Prabha.
1998 : Planned the internet edition and instrumental in launching it.
2000 : Promoted as Senior Sub Editor and made in charge of Business supplement.
2001 : Key person in redesigning and relaunching Kannada Prabha.
2002 : Introduced the modern personal finance planning contents to
Kannada Journalism with series of articles which became an instant hit.
2002 : Promoted as Chief-sub Editor
2003 : Promoted as News Editor
2004 : Promoted as Executive Editor (News)
2006 : Received the Chairman's Special Award for outstanding team performance in the company.
2007 : Vital role in creating a hattrick by receiving the Karnataka State Media Academy award
for best designed newspaper.
2008 : Visited United States of America on invitation from the government of USA
under the “International Visitor Leadership Program”
While he writes on various subjects, Social and Administrative Reforms, Science and Technology, Consumer Trends and Internet Life, Business and Personal Finance are his special interests apart from Magic and Painting as his hobby.
His wife Bhavana is also a journalist, working as the Chief-Sub-editor in The New Indian Express. Jeevana is his daughter.
