AP Government and Postal Department released a commemorative postage stamp on LV Prasad - Doyen of Indian Cinema - today at a function organized in HITEX convention center.

Shakeel Ahmed - Minister of state for Communication and IT - released this commemorative stamp and gave the first stamp to Ramesh Prasad. Rosaiah released a book on LV Prasad and gave the first copy to Dasari.

The celebrities who graced this function include Shakeel Ahmed, Rosaiah, Kamal Hassan, Ramoji Rao, Dasari, Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao, DVS Raju, Yasodhara Menon (Chief Post Master General) and Kailash Prasad.

Prasad Ground completes 50 years today - Ramesh Prasad
Giving the welcome address Ramesh Prasad (s/o LV Prasad and head of Prasads Group) said, “My father LV Prasad lived and breathed cinema. I am touched when Government recognized his achievement and launched a commemorative postage stamp. My father went to Bombay with an ambition to be in films with Rs. 100 in his pocket. He was did not know Hindi or English. He struggled in Bombay for two years. He was so much committed to cinema that he did not attend the funeral of my grandmother. At that time I felt bad about it, but today I understand that it was his deep love for cinema. He has strong willpower. He was a simple man and he never wanted any luxuries. I wanted to build a house for ourselves. But my father used that money to buy latest model of a movie camera. He won Dada Saheb Falke awards. He was a member of many juries in international film festivals. He used all his money in developing infrastructure of film industry. The only deviation was LV Prasad Eye Hospital. He believed that it was eyes that make us enjoy the film. Hence he want to give it back to the society by having a eye hospital. He built an eye hospital with the help of Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao. Now Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao has put LV Prasad Eye hospital on international map. My father could not study beyond high school. And it gave us immense pleasure in starting LV Prasad Film and TV Institute in Chennai last year. We constructed a multiplex and first IMAX screen in South India in 2003. The goodwill earned by LV Prasad is helping our endeavors a lot. I am happy to announce that Prasad Group that was started with Prasad Production in 1956 has complete 50 years today.”

I am a great admirer of LV Prasad - Shakeel Ahmed
Minister Shakeel Ahmed said, “I am honored to be at this function because I am a great admirer of LV Prasad. All his films have social values and are good family dramas. Prasad Labs is the biggest film postproduction fecility in India. I am happy to say that post production work of Rang De Basanti, Krrish and Parineeta was done at Prasad Labs.”

LV Prasad delivered 11 consecutive silver jubilees - Dasari
Dasari said, “Today is a memorable day for Telugu film industry. Issuing commemorative postage stamp on LV Prasad is like honoring the entire Indian film fraternity. LV Prasad is the first Telugu person who ruled Hindi film industry. He delivered 11 successive silver jubilee films. I was fortunate enough to direct a film titled ‘Idekkadi Nyayam’ on Prasad Productions banner. He was a very passionate man. He used sit on a chair under camera to see actors performance. This kind of technique was also followed by a few great directors in Hollywood. He is also a great actor. He made shocking films in those days. In Ilavelupu film, heroine who is a lover of hero comes to his family as step mother. LV Prasad used to adapt technique very fast. All the latest cameras, lenses and sound systems were introduced in India by Prasad Labs. I am happy that postage stamps on Ballari Raghava, Kannamba, NTR, Ghantasala, BN Reddy and LV Prasad are released so far. I request Minister Shakeel Ahmed to kindly look into two more pending names Chittoor Nagayya and Savitri.”

LV Prasad is Cine Rushi - Ramoji Rao
Media baron Ramoji Rao said, “LV Prasad is like a text book for Indian cinema. LV Prasad’s personal life itself is like a cinema. He worked as a ticket keeper in Kohinoor cinema hall (Dadar, Mumbai). Later on his film Khilona ran for silver jubilee in the same theater. Prasad’s life is an example of the axiom ‘Nothing is impossible’. We should all feel lucky that Prasad is a Telugu man. He acted in 1st talkie film of Telugu (Bhakta Prahlada), Tamil (Kalidasu) and Hindi (Alam Ara). He once said that pen is mightier than sword. But film is mightier then pen. His films have social awareness as well as nice humor. I would love to call him as Cine Rushi. LV Prasad may not be here physically, but he will be in our hearts as long as cinema is alive.”

LV Prasad is a global brand - Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao
Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao said, “My association with Prasad’s family goes back to 80 years. Dr. Mullapudi Venkata Ratnam introduced me to Ramesh Prasad in 1985 in USA. I visited India in January 1986 and visited LV Prasad and Ramesh Prasad. I was told that there is a donation of 1 crore ready from LV Prasad which they want to use it on eye hospital. LV Prasad is so ideal that he got his eye cataract operation in his own hospital by coming in queue like a regular patient. He also paid fee in full. We have also taken rural initiatives and our work has become a model for WHO (World Health Organization) to follow. LV Prasad might be an big name in India, but LV Prasad is a brand name in global arena because of LV Prasad eye hospital. Our aim is to eliminate needless blindness.”

LV Prasad made me love cinema more - Kamal Hassan
Actor Kamal Hassan said, “I was introduced in Hindi by LV Prasad. I had an audacity to ask him to act as grandfather in my film Raja Parvai. When he was ill, his family shifted his bed to the studio and his health improved. When I asked his permission to shoot my film Apoorva Sahodarulu from the top LV Prasad’s 70mm hall. He said that he built that theater from the profits of Ek Duje Keliye. I am so much attached to him that I make sure that postproduction of all my films is done in Prasad Labs. I would like to thank Government for issuing a commemorative postage stamp on LV Prasad. My interaction with LV Prasad made me love cinema more.”

Ramesh Prasad honored Jinka Subramanyam who initiated the idea of commemorative stamp of LV Prasad. Shilpa Chakravarthy anchored this event.

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