A commemorative postal stamp of Telugu Film Industry legend, L.V.Prasad, was released today, 5th September, by the Postal Department and Andhra Pradesh Government, at the Hitex convention center. Minister of State for Communication Shakeel Ahmed unveiled the stamp and presented the first stamp to Ramesh Prasad(s/o of L.V.Prasad). A book on L.V.Prasad was also released on the occasion by Minister Rosayya and Dasari Narayana Rao was presented with the first copy. The event was anchored by Shilpa Chakravarthy.

The star attraction of the event was actor Kamal Hassan who was seen along with the other guests including Ramoji Rao, Dr.Gullapalli Nageswars Rao, D.V.S.Raju, Yasodhara Menon and Kailash Prasad.

"I am honored to have released the stamp of L.V.Prasad. I am a huge admirer of him and his films", chief guest Shakeel Ahmed said "almost all of his films had social messages. He established the best postproduction facility for films, in India. Films like Rang de Basanthi and Parineeta had their post production work done at Prasad labs".

"This is a very valuable and touching recognition that my father has received from our Government". Ramesh Prasad MD of Prasads Groups said "my father lived and breathed Cinema. My father was a simple man with a strong will power. He was so dedicated to Cinema that he did not even attend my grandmother's funeral. When we waned to buy a house, he used the money to buy a new model of camera. I never understood why he did that but later I realized his love for cinema".

Speaking about his father's early days Ramesh Prasad said "my father never studied beyond 10th Class. He went to Bombay, to join films, with just Rs.100 in his pocket and has achieved a lot since then. Today his production company Prasad Production (established in 1956) completes 50 years. His main ambition behind opening L.V.Prasad eye institute was to help people see so that they can enjoy good movies and stories. Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao helped my father establish the Eye institute and it was he who has put the institute on the international map. My father won the Dada Saheb Phalke award and has been a jury member for quite a few International film festivals".

On this occasion Ramesh Prasad felicitated Jinka Subramanyam, the man behind the idea of a stamp of L.V.Prasad.

"I have been associated with the Prasad family for the past 80 years" Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao said "I met L.V.Prasad in 1986. Dr. Mullapudi Venkata Ratnam introduced me to Ramesh Prasad. After meeting L.V.Prasad, he told me that he wanted to invest around 1 crore in an eye hospital and that is how L.V.Prasad Eye Institute was established. L.V.Prasad is such a noble man that he, for his cataract operation, took an appointment like a regular patient and paid the fees in full, at his own hospital. Today L.V.Prasad is not a person but a brand name for quality service for the blind. Our aim is to eradicate treatable blindness. Even the WHO (World Health Organization) is planning to follow our guidelines. We will be starting initiatives in rural areas soon".

"An L.V.Prasad stamp is not an honor just for the great man but for the entire Telugu film Industry itself" Veteran director-producer and actor Dasari Narayana Rao said "L.V.Prasad was the first Telugu person to have achieved success on such a grand scale in the Hindi Film Industry. He was a very passionate film maker. Even when not doing anything he would just sit and watch the actors perform. Many of his films had daring storylines like in Ilavelupu where the girl who loves the hero becomes his step mother later. He was a good actor himself. Eleven of his films were successive hits. I am proud to have directed a film (Idekkadi Nyayam) for his banner. Although stamps of Ballari Raghava, Kannamba, NTR, Ghantasala, B.N. Reddy and now LV Prasad have been released I request Minister Shakeel Ahmed to consider stamps of Chittoor Nagayya and Savitri".

"L.V.Prasad's life itself is like a film. He is a text book for the film industry" Ace movie producer Ramoji Rao said "his life reminds us of the saying "nothing is impossible". I am proud that he is a Telugu person. He began as a ticket keeper at the Kohinoor Theater in Dadar, Bombay. And later his film, Kilona, completed silver jubilee at the very same theater. He was also the person to act in the first Talkie movie in three languages, Telugu (Bhakta Prahlada), Tamil (Kalidasu) and Hindi (Alam Ara). I call him the Cine Rushi. His film carried social messages in a light hearted manner. L.V.Prasad will be alive as long as cinema is alive".

"I asked L.V.Prasad to act as my grand father in Raja Palayam" actor Kamal Hassan said "he was the one who introduced me to the Hindi Film Industry. Later when I asked him permission to shoot atop his 70mm Theater, for my film Apoorva Sahodaralu, he told me that he built that theater from the profits of Ek Duje Keliye. I am very fond of him, he made me love cinema. Even today all my films' post production work is done at Prasad Labs. I would like to thank the government for this honor that they have bestowed on L.V.Prasad".