Daijiworld Media Network - Tumakuru (SHP)

Tumakuru, Jan 2: Yadalam Krishnamurthy Loknath, a Prasar Bharati employee who manages to seize the best snaps of the prime minister (PM) has his roots in Tumakuru district. He may not be a household name but he is the PM Narendra Modi's go-to photographer. Whether the PM is touring a new country, meeting dignitaries or addressing the nation, you can expect Loknath to be ready with his camera to capture monumental moments.

Loknath is a Kannadiga who hails from Obalapura near YN Hosakote in Pavagada taluk, who will be accompanying the PM to cover the mega rally and events being planned in the state, on Thursday and Friday. In his over-two decade stint with the PMO, Loknath has handled numerous assignments, but, he maintains that the last six years with Narendra Modi have been memorable, given the frequency of the PM’s visits abroad.

“The most memorable trip was to Switzerland where the temperature’s dipped as low as -15 degrees. However, the PM coped with the cold, and co-operated with us too,” recalled Loknath while speaking to TNIE. He has covered almost all of the PM’s trips abroad, calling himself lucky to have visited about forty countries. “The PMO insisted I join it again when I took a break during UPA-II”, said Loknath, who has had the privilege to cover Abdul Kalam’s term as President.

Talking about how he got into the profession, Loknath stated that his uncle M C Girish ran a colour lab in Bengaluru which inspired him to take up photography. After completing his schooling and pre-university, Loknath joined the Government Film and Television Institute (GFTI) at Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic, getting his diploma in 1989. “It’s my pleasure to cover the PM in my home district,” he asserted.