K. Rama Rao

Kotamaraju Rama Rao (9 November 1896 – 3 March 1961) He was the first editor of National Herald, the English-language newspaper established by Jawaharlal Nehru. He was elected to the first Rajya Sabha as a Congress nominee from the undivided state of Madras in 1952. He was the first-ever advisor on 'Plan Publicity' to the Nehru government in 1956 and also served as a member of the Press Council of India and Vice-Chairman of Working Journalists Union.

Rama Rao worked in Lala Lajpat Rai's publication 'The People' and over 25 newspapers in various cities of pre-independence India, including Lahore and Karachi. Rama Rao was the editor of it from 1938 to 1942, and from 1945 to 1946. He died on 3 March 1961.

Mahatma Gandhi called him a "fighting-editor" when he was working with him in Sevagram ashram. Atal Bihari Vajpayee called him the "Dronacharya of Indian Journalism". India Post issued a stamp in 1997 to celebrate his birth centenary. His autobiography was titled The Pen As My Sword. A statue of Rama Rao was installed at Bapatla in July 2019.