Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 3: Kannadiga Patrakartara Sangha, Maharashtra (R) has announced the annual Shri K T Venugopal-KaPaSaMa National Maadhyamashree Award 2025. For the seventh edition of this award, the Sangha has chosen senior journalist D Umapathi, originally from Chitradurga, Karnataka and presently based in Delhi, according to a press release by the office bearers of the association.
The 2025 KaPaSaMa seventh annual award is conferred upon a deserving Kannada journalist. The decision was taken in the recent executive committee meeting of the association and based on the selection by the award committee chaired by Dr Suneetha M Shetty, along with jury members Harish G Poojari (Kokkarne), Gopal Trasi and Sa Daya (Dayanand), honorary general secretary of the association. Accordingly, journalist D Umapathi (Delhi) has been selected for the Maadhyamashree Award 2025.
This award, instituted in memory of late K T Venugopal, with the support of his son Vikas Venugopal and family and the KaPaSaMa award fund, carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a citation, and a memento. So far, this award has been conferred upon senior journalists like Adv Vasanth Kalakoti, Mumbai (first award – 2019), G K Ramesh, Mumbai (second award – 2020), Achyuta Chevhar, Kasargod, Kerala (third award – 2021), Lawrence Coelho, Mumbai (fourth award – 2022), Sanath Kumar Belagali, Jamkhandi (fifth award – 2023), C G Manjula, Bengaluru (sixth award – 2024).
The award presentation ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 7, at Lotus Auditorium, Solitaire Corporate Park, Andheri East, Mumbai, under the presidentship of Rons Bantwal, president of the journalists’ association, in the august presence of distinguished guests, stated honorary general secretary Sa Daya and honorary treasurer Vishwanath Poojari Niddodi.
K T Venugopal
He was a socially conscious senior journalist who rendered over three and a half decades of invaluable service to the field of Kannada journalism in Mumbai. Late K T Venugopal was widely respected as an eminent journalist known for his integrity and commitment. He was also a writer, a senior member of the Kannada Journalists’ Association, Maharashtra, and the convener of its constitution drafting committee. After retirement, he settled in Pune and passed away in 2009. Even today, he is remembered in the media world as a journalist of great repute and integrity. In order to honor his legacy and inspire future generations of journalists with his professional values, this annual award is presented in his memory.
D Umapathi
Born on March 18, 1959, in Chitradurga district, D Umapathi pursued his B A in English Literature and Journalism at Maharaja’s College, Mysuru and obtained his Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Mysore, securing second rank.
He has served for 27 years as the Delhi correspondent for Kannada Prabha (of the New Indian Express group) and E TV, earning recognition for his impactful reporting. His extensive experience includes Parliament reporting, election analysis, inter-state river water dispute cases in the Supreme Court, national political developments, and diplomatic reporting during the foreign visits of external affairs ministers.
Currently based in Delhi, he is also a columnist for Andolana, Raitha Chaluvali, Vijaya Karnataka, Prajavani, Samyukta Karnataka, Vartha Bharati, and others. Presently, he serves as consulting editor for Nyayapatha (Gauri Media) and Eedina web journal.
He is a recipient of the Vaddarse Raghuramashetty Social Justice Journalism Award instituted by the department of information and public relations, government of Karnataka. Recognizing his contributions through reports and special articles on social justice, he was honored by the chief minister in the 2024 budget with this award named after senior journalist Vaddarse Raghuramashetty, along with several other honors. His two important works include Delhi Nota and Padakusiye Nelavilla.