The youngest son of media baron Ramoji Rao, Suman has passed on Thursday midnight due to prolonged illness. He was 45. This news came in as a shock to scores of people in Andhra Pradesh to whom Suman was a familiar figure. As a TV artiste, writer, director, producer, documentary film maker, Suman became close to the hearts of the AP people decades ago.  Suman was recently admitted to Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad due to prolonged illness. Although doctors' tried their best, they couldn't save all rounder Suman. He was the managing director of Ushodaya Enterprises, which handles ETV entertainment channel. He was survived by wife Vijayeshwari, a son and a daughter.

All rounder:

Suman was gifted with multiple talents. When people were in a notion that journalism was just collecting and disseminating the news, Suman told the state the broad concept of journalism by plunging in to theatre arts. He developed several documentary films, which received critical acclaim. Suman, who completed his schooling from Hyderabad Public School, got a degree in BA with English, Political Science and Philosophy  as the optional subjects. His interest in arts and journalism made him pursue Bachelor of Communication and Journalism from Osmania University. Suman later went to the United States to study Master of Journalism.

Early career:

After completing his higher education in journalism, Suman did an internship at Eenadu news daily, which has its main office in Hyderabad. He later worked in the same paper in different editorial positions (such as copy editor, news editor etc) in the general desk. He even wrote several articles for Eenadu editorial, which were published.

Steps into television world:

Eenadu Television knocked the doors of Telugu people in the year 1995 with a variety of entertainment shows. Right from ETV's inception, Suman had been the managing director of the channel. Since he already mastered journalism, he didn't limit himself to business part of the channel. He made a mark in television history by writing scripts, songs, directing serials and even giving splendid performances on the small screen.

When Antharangalu was started, it received superb response from the public. Suman who was the director of this first mega serial in Telugu won the hearts of Telugu viewers. Suman even wrote amazing songs and good script for this serial. Antharangaalu Ananthamanasa Chadarangaalu....this in Antharangaalu song is till today remembered and played by several people in the state. Suman later wrote many serials such as Kalankitha, Endamaavulu, Lady Detective and Sneha. These serials too evoked solid response from the public.

Target audience:

Suman never targetted a specific segment when he wrote and directed serials. He kept in mind the age groups of everyone and caught he pulse of lakhs of people in the state. That could probably be the reason why his serials became such super hit. In television industry, it was Suman who brought novelty. It was he who told the world that a pinch of passion in the work can create wonders for the entertainment industry.  Suman always said the he had never let his opinion crawl into his serials. He paid utmost importance to the viewers, which he said many a time during interviews.

Clean serials:

For Suman, ethics was the most important factor like his father Ramoji Rao. That's the only reason why he didn't take pushy ways to promote his serials. He was the person who believed that good content and passion are enough to take serials to sky high. Therefore, he took all measures to avoid obscenity and violence in his serials. Checking and rechecking for filtering the unwanted scenes became the daily work of Suman. Even when he wrote scripts, there were no underlined or double meaning dialogues.

Artist:

Suman was also a gifted artist. He even took advices from noted cartoonist Sridhar and sketched several characters, which were played during the title songs of the serials. He even used to send in his sketching to magazines such as Chathura and Vipula. Suman received Nandi award for his serials in the areas of direction and action.

Today, Suman might not be physically present, but he's alive in the hearts of Andhra Pradesh people. As long as television industry prevails, Suman will be remembered. Andhra Wishesh pays tributes to the legendary personality!

(AW Phani)