First Telugu TV News Reader Shanti Swarup Dies At 74

First-ever Telugu television news reader Shanti Swarup, who was a household name in undivided Andhra Pradesh during the 1980s, died here on Friday, Doordarshan sources said.

He was 74. Swarup was admitted to a private hospital here two days ago with heart-related issues and the end came today, sources said.

Shanti Swarup Dies At 74

Swarup presented the news when the first Telugu news bulletin was broadcast on Doordarshan on November 14, 1983, they said. Since then, he worked in the channel till his retirement in 2011. In an age when the teleprompter was absent, Swarup used to present the news with aplomb by memorising the news.

He had won praise for his modulation in presenting the news depending on the nature of the news story. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and several other leaders condoled the death of Swarup.

"As the first generation news reader, Shanti Swaroop became a household name for Telugu people," the chief minister, who conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members, said. Swarup was an icon in Telugu television news and he was a role model for aspiring news readers, Kishan Reddy said.

Swarup had a special stature in Telugu television news media, former chief minister KCR said. Chandrababu Naidu recalled having done a weekly programme 'Prajalatho Mukhya Mantri' (Chief Minister with people) for six years, during his tenure as chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, with Swarup. People used to voice their problems directly during the programme and get them resolved, Naidu said on 'X'. He conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members.