Mangaluru, Jan 26: Senior journalist and special correspondent of Hosa Digantha newspaper, Guruvappa N T Balepuni, passed away at his residence in Balepuni on Sunday after a brief illness. He was 62. Balepuni is survived by his wife and son.

Balepuni had served as the general secretary of the Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists' Association and the Mangaluru Press Club. With 39 years of service in journalism, he had been a correspondent for Hosa Digantha for 27 years and was serving as a special correspondent since 2021.

Entry into Journalism in 1986

Born on June 1, 1963, Balepuni began his journalism career in September 1986. Initially, he worked for various weekly publications, including Amrutha, Chetana, The Gold Kannada Weekly, and Saptasara, for six years. He later joined the Canara Times Group (Karavali Ale, Kannada Jana Antaranga, Canara Times), Mangaluru Mitra Kannada Evening Daily, and Samyukta Karnataka as a special correspondent. He started as a senior correspondent for Hosa Digantha on June 1, 1998.

Introduced Harekala Hajabba to society

Balepuni introduced the 'Akshara Santa' Harekala Hajabba to the world through his writing in 2004. His report, "Kitthale Buttiyalli Aralida Akshara Kanasu (The Dream of Literacy Blossoming in an Orange Basket," in Hosa Digantha brought Hajabba's story to light. Balepuni had a keen interest in rural development and Panchayati Raj issues.

Recipient of numerous awards

Balepuni contributed as a volunteer and lead volunteer in the state’s literacy movement. He was recognized with several honors and awards for his dedicated work and outstanding reporting. He received state and national awards for his writings, including the Padyana Gopalakrishna Memorial Rural Journalism Award in 2004 for best rural reporting. He was the only journalist to bring the Sarojini Naidu Award for Kannada journalism at the regional level, presented by the Hunger Project for his work on "Women and Panchayati Raj."

For his journalism contributions, Balepuni received the Kantavara Puraskara from the Kantavara Kannada Sangha in 2012, the Dakshina Kannada District Rajyotsava Award in 2013, the Dr BR Ambedkar Award from the Karnataka government in 2021, the Be Su Na Mallya Journalism Award, the Karnataka Media Academy Award, and many other accolades.

Notable reports

Balepuni authored several significant investigative and inspirational stories, including the Udupi Land Scam Investigation, Bhaskaran Nair’s Prison Escape, the story of Akshara Santa Harekala Hajabba, Mysuru Police-Public School, Sumathi Ilanthila, Miyyar’s Munguli Koraga, Malali Chinkra Poojary, Swarnalata and Suji of Kaukraadi, Ilanthila’s Kusappa, Sudarshan of Muchoor, Puttur’s Badila Hussain, and Koraga girl Surekha. He also highlighted irregularities in the Dakshina Kannada Tribal Coordination Project and wrote positive reports on gram panchayats, success stories of the employment guarantee scheme, and more.

Balepuni’s contributions to journalism remain exemplary and his loss is deeply felt by the media fraternity and the community at large.