SHIMLA: Himachal has mourned the death of a journalist, educationist, humanist and a bachelor, all rolled into one- Prof. Vepa Rao, who died in a Hyderabad hospital after "he suffered a brain stroke" on Monday. He was 76.
Vepa Rao's contribution in the field of journalism and education will always be remembered. He made careers of many of his students in the field of media.
During his long stay as a teacher of journalism at HP university in Shimla, his students and friends used to make a beeline for the Ashiana restaurant on The Ridge to meet him.
Vepa Rao used to spend his leisure time at Ashiana gazing at the Jhakhu hills.
BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda and Congress President Pratibha Singh have mourned his death. Vepa Rao was the editorial advisor to the English daily The Statesman.
He also worked in many other newspapers including the English daily Hindustan Times, The Tribune.
He joined Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of Himachal Pradesh University Shimla on invitation. Today his students are in high positions in the reputed newspapers of the country.
In the year 1997 HPU created the post of a Professor and in 1997 he was promoted to the same.
The Himachal Government gave him the State Award for Developmental Reporting in the year 1997.
He also served as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and a member of the University's Executive and Academic Councils.
He was brought back by the University under the re-employment scheme of the UGC to assist the department. Vepa Rao finally formally retired from HPU in the year 2010.
However he continued to teach as a visiting professor at other universities.
For some years he also participated as a member of selection committees and board of studies etc.
"You will always be missed by all of us", Nadda said in his message.
