Journey of a Journalist - from Newspaper Hawker to Edior's post

- a half a century struggle of Senior Journalist Mr M K Vidyaranya

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From News Paper hawker to ascend to the position of Editor of a News paper sums up half a century long struggle filled journey of Senior Journalist M K Vidyaranya in whose veins the blood of journalism virtually flows .

 

Hailing from a family of Journalists and Freedom Fighters and Agriculturists, Mr Vidyaranya's father, late Mr M R Krishna Murthy , who had undergone imprisonment for nearly six years during the pre-independence days was the Mandya District Correspondent for various news papers such as Tai Nadu, Jana Mitra, Viswakarnataka, and Kannada Prabha.

 

His uncle late Mr M R Venkataramaiah (popularly known as Khadi Venkataramaiah as he was in-charge of the Khadi Bhandar opposite to Fort in Bangalore), who was also a freedom fighter was Manager of Tai Nadu, a popular Kannada News Paper during the pre-independence days and later worked as the President of Karnataka Sarvodaya Sangha. His another uncle , Mr M R Anantharamaiah, now 94, was the Correspondent of Indian Express at Mandya.

 

During his school days, Mr Vidyaranya along with his father , grand father late M.Ramaiah, mother Late Lakshamma, had worked in their 8 acre land at Mandya and had the experience of working in the fields . However, they lost their precious land after the implementation of the Land Reforms Act way back in 1960’s. However, the family continued to make both ends meet since it was running a News Paper agency and a Khadi Bhandar .

 

Mr Vidyaranya who started his work in the field of journalism right from the scratch - a news paper hawker- news contributor to the papeas which his father , represented had developed a flair for writing on his own by intensively reading News Papers and Magazines under the guidance of his father and uncle even as he studied Electrical Engineering Diploma in the PES College of Engineering at Mandya. He studied MA (Sociology) at the University of Mysore. His hobbies included Photography, stamps and coins collection.

 

He started contributing articles both in Kannada and English to various news papers right from 1966 including “Current” a popular English weekly from Bombay and became the district correspondent for Udayavani - a Kannada Daily, and was appointed as Indian Express correspondent for Mysore district. He contributed news to All India Radio.Bangalore.

 

Seeing his stories from Mysore, the Press Trust of India (PTI) , the National News Agency absorbed him in their organisation. He started an office of the PTI at Mysore and worked there for some time. PTI later offered him the post of Senior Reporter in Bangalore.

 

He was assigned to cover important Political conventions, Legislature, ISRO and other Industries, Business Conferences. Appreciating his work he was promoted as the Chief Reporter in 1995 and was appointed as the Chief of Bureau, Karnataka Regional Bureau of the PTI.

 

He has covered the General Elections right from 1968 to 2009 and activities of Chief Ministers right from late S.Nijalingappa to Mr B S Yeddyurappa.

 

Recently he covered the Bihar Election for various news papers and wrote a book in kannada along with the famous Journalist Mr S K Seshachandrika.

 

After taking voluntary retirement from the PTI, Mr Vidyaranya started 'FAX NEWS" an English Feature Service and continues to be its Editor even today.

 

Meanwhile, Mr Vidyaranya worked as the Assistant Editor of 'City Today', Executive Editor of 'Metro Today' and after quitting those papers started 'The Review of Politics and Industry' - an English fortnightly and brought it out regularly for 4 years before folding it up due to financial crunch. When now defunct 'Vijay Times' was started he worked there as Senior Journalist .

 

Mr Vidyaranya now 65, has settled down at his Jayanagar home in Bangalore with his wife Mrs.Prabha Vidyaranya and two children - Mr M V Vinay a Computer Engineer and Ms. M V Shalini , a graduate in Journalism.

 

Mr Vidyaranya can be contacted on :

 

Telephones : 9886351655, 080-26648187

E-mail: krishnamurthy.vidyaranya@gmail.com

mk_vidyaranya@yahoo.co.in

faxnews@hotmail.com

 

Res: 265, ‘Satyalakshmi’, 44 th cross, 7 th main

5 th block, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560041