ASTRO MOHAN
Sr. News Photographer
UDAYAVANI
402, # HEMADRI
S.S. Residency, Malai Jumadi Main Road,
Moodusagri, Udupi - 576102
Karnataka. INDIA
Phone: +91 820 2534984
Cell-098452 43306
Objective
To take pictures that captures the drama of day-to-day life and sells the stories of our friend.
K.H. (Astro) Mohan is an International renowned photographer with over 19 years in Photo
Journalism and currently works as a Senior News photographer of a popular national Kannada daily
newspaper Udayavani published from Manipal, India. He hails from Bellary and completed his
early education as an Art Graduate. An incredibly versatile person with a rare blend of multiple
talents, Mr Mohan is also a magician, astrologer, palmist, orator, cine actor, artiste, art critic and to
top it a prudent organiser of shows. It was his intense interest in astrology which led to him being
nicknamed as ‘Astro’ and now widely called by this nickname among friends and well-wishers.
He has earned over 2 dozens State & National prestigious awards till date. His picture “Karavali
Kambala” bagged the First Prize in an International Level Photography Competition, held by Nikon
in United Kingdom. He has travelled and exhibited his photo worldwide and also been felicitated by
various photography associations, he was recently honored by the India International Photographic
Council (IIPC) in Hyderabad.
Astro Mohan believes in sharing knowledge, he teaches at various universities and conducts
various photography workshops over the last decade. He is a distinguished member of
Photography Society of America (PSA), Director of Karnataka Photographers Association (KPA),
Udupi Press Photographers Association (UPPA).
Education
Canara College of Mangalore
(Mangalore University)
Bachelor of Arts
Training and course work includes
1) Photo Journalism
2) Journalism
3) Film appreciation
4) News articles
5) Political stories
Situation handled
1) Z + VIP News Coverage (President Abdul Kalam,Prathibha patil, Pranav Mukharjee Ex. PM
Vajpayee, Cong President Sonia Gandhi
2) Gujarat Earthquake
3) Karnataka Floods
4) Airplane crash at Bajpe Mangalore
5) Natural calamities
6) Road, Air and Boat accidents
7) Sports (cricket, Foot ball, Basket Ball, Kabaddi and Others
8) Special occasion (Kumbha Mela, Held at Nasik Udupi Sri Krishna Paryayam, Ganapathi Fest,
Mahamasthabhisheka At ShravanaBelgola, Dharmasthala, Karkala and Venoor
9) Bike, car race
10) Mad elephant incident
11) Great people
12) Cultural Events Like, Rock, Pop, Classical,
13) Film stars
14) Spot news
15) Heritage sites
Work Experience
Total 20 years experience in Photo Journalism field
Working as Sr. News Photographer in UDAYAVANI since 14 years (1997)
Served as Reporter in Samyukta Karnataka for
1 year (1996-97)
Served as News Photographer in Hosadigantha for 2 years (1994-96)
Work Shop attended
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
On Photo journalism
Adobe photo shop CS series
File transfer protocol and Internet
Adobe Photoshop CS5
Light Room
Digital imaging
Remote photo sending
Awards and Acceptance
1) Youth Photographic society Bangalore awards 2001,
2) Karnataka tourism day award 2002
3) Konica-Minolta Photographer of the year2003
4) Better Photographer of the Year 2005(Better Photography)
5) Youth Photographic society Bangalore awards 2003
6) Sagar state level photography contest2003
7) Youth Photographic society Bangalore awards 2004
8) Udupi Dist Award2003
9) International Kite festival 2004
10) Akhila Bharatiya Janavadi Mahila sanghatane Bangalore (State Level)(2007)
11) Clean India Photo contest National Level (Wes net India-Unicef)(2008)
12) Election Fewer shooter National Level Photo contest (2009)
13) Passions of Karnataka, Bangalore
(2009)
14) Bijapur State level photo contest
(2010) July
15) Chaya Chetana Shimoga State level
(2010) August
16) Allhabad Ganga Kalyan All India Salon
(2010) September
17) Photography Society of Madras
(2010) October
18) Youth Photographic Society
(2011) January
19) Karnataka Photographers Assn. Blore
(2011) July
20) Paryaya Shiroor Matha
(2011) Sept
21) Jodhpur Photojournalists Assn
(2012) Jan
22) SRIJAN Kolkata
(2012) Feb
23) Youth Photographic Society
(2012) March
24) Jodhana Photojournalist society
(2012) April
25) JPS International Award, Jodhpur (2012) June
26) Inframe Nikon international award (2012)
27) Indian International Photography council 2012 Acceptance
28) 2nd JPS International Award, Jodhpur (2013) April
29) Indian International Photography council 2013 August Hyderabad Award
30) 4th Agence International Photo salon Hungary (Acceptance)
31) Indian Visual Arts Foundation International Salon of Fine Arts Photography – 2013
32) 1st FOCI National Photography Salon, Pune 2013
Exhibitions
1) First photo exhibition organized at Canara college Mangalore
2) Late Kota Shivaram Karantha held at Udupi
3) Flora and fauna
Udupi
1991
1996
1997
4)
5)
6)
7)
Flora and fauna
Mangalore
Flora and fauna
Belgaum
Facets of car street
Udupi
Gujarat earthquake
Bangalore
Ex.C M of Karnataka Mr. S.M. Krishna
8) Gujarath earthquake
Hubli
9) A day with the saint
Udupi
Ex Governor of Karnataka late Mrs. Ramadevi
10) A day with the saint
Mumbai
11) A day with the saint
Hubli
12) Wild elephant Movement
Udupi
13) Lalit Kala Akademi
Bangalore
14) Lalit Kala Akademi
Lucknow
15) Lalit Kala Akademi
Lucknow
16) Lait Kala Akademi
Newdellhi
17) Wood carvings in Ashta mathas
Udupi
18) Light and shadow
Kolkotta
19) Picture Tribute to T.S. SatyanUdupi
20) Artists Forum Paryaya
Udupi
21) Karnataka Photographers Assn
Bangalore
22) Allhabad Ganga Kalyan All India Salon
23) Photography Society of Madras
Chennai
24) Youth Photographic society
Bangalore
25) Karnataka Photographers Assn.
Bangalore
26) Artists Forum
Udupi
27) Srijan, Kolkatta
Kolkatta
28) Jodhana Photojournalist Assn
Jodhpur
29) India International Photographic Council-Vijayawada
30) RPC 1st National salon
31) Photo forum of Midnapur
32) India International Photographic Council-Vijayawada
33) 4th Agence International Photo salon Hungary
1997
1998
1999
2000 (Inaugurated by
2000
2001
(Inaugurated by
2002
2002
2003
2003
2004
2005
2006
2008
2008
2009
2010
2010
2010
2010
2011
2011
2012(Jan)
2012 (March)
2012(May)
2012(Aug)
2012 (Dec)
2012 (Dec)
2013(Aug)
2013 (Aug)
34) Indian Visual Arts Foundation International Salon of Fine Arts Photography – 2013
35) Life style of Dr. M.V. Kamath Manipal Schoolof communication Manipal2013
36) FOCI (Friends of colorful India Pune) 2013
37) World Tulu convention Kuwait (1st International solo photography exhibition)
FELICITATIONS
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Sri krishnanugraha prashsthi from sri shirooru matha
1998
Vijaya vittala award from mantralya
2006
Drushya kalasindhu award from jhenkar troup udupi
2007
Upadhyaya sanmana from upadhyaya foundation
2008
Sri krishnanugrha prashasthi from puttige matha
2010
Chayaratna award from akhila karnataka photographers and
videographers association bangalore
2010
Gaints international award mangalore
2010
DVG Memorial Award Karnataka Union of working Journalists' Bangalore 2011
KPA Bangalore 2012 from Governor of Karnataka
Bahrain Kannada Sagha
“Chaya Koutuka” Award from Rotary Int. Malpe-Kodavoor club 2013
Kuwait Tulu koota
2013
FORIENGN TOURS
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ASTRO MOHAN VISITED MALYASIA IN 2006
(ON INVITATION FROM MALYSIAN GOVT)
VISITED SINGAPUR IN 2009
VISITED BANGKOK IN 2010
VISITED DUBAI IN 2013
VISITED BAHRAIN IN 2013
CHITRAMAYA UDUPI: The first color photo book published by Astro Mohan
(Released at 72 Akhila Bharatha kannada sahithya sammelana held at udupi.
Tourism Cards: Astro Mohan also brought tourism cards of Udupi.
He also an Author of very prestigious Book
Pictorial Journey to Udupi
Karnataka Darshana (Spectrum of Karnataka Art): Astro Mohan’s images also featured in Karnataka
Darshana brought by Navakarnataka publications Bangalores.
Astro images in Textbooks
Most of the I and II PUC text books used the creative Images of Astro Mohan.
Images in Outlook Magazine
Dr. M.V. Kamaths and TAPMI pictures captured by Astro Mohan carried in Outlook
Magazine July 2013 and Sept 2013 Issues
Conducted Workshops
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2009, 2010: Photography workshop at NITK Suratkal
2010, 2011: Photo Today workshop organized by Nikon at Bangalore
2010: Conducted workshops at Manipal Institute of Communication and Manipal Institute
of Management
2012 Bhandarkars college Kundapur
2013 Mijaru Institute of Technology MITE at Mijar
o Resource Person for Workshop for Photo Journalists, organized by Karnataka Photo
Journalists Association, at Hubli and Hassan.
o Resource Person at Workshop for professional photographers organized Sony
Camera.
o Resource person at RUDSET Training Institute Ujire and Mysore
o Student Workshops at Bhandarkar’s College, Kundapur
o Student Workshop at MGM College, Udupi
o KPAs DIGI IMAGE 2013 at Bangalore
o Currently doing Workshops at Alvas’ Moodabidre…
Jury
Astro Mohan also judged the pictures of the entrants in National and state level photography
contest.
ASTRO MOHAN.... a renowned press-photographer, Accredited Sr. News Photographer, a magician,
an astrologer, a palmist, an orator, an artiste, an cine actor and art critic, a prudent programme
organizer - sounds incredible, yet a rare blend of all virtues, a synonym by sheer efforts.
Nicknamed as ASTRO, K. H. Mohan, a prodigy and a genius, joined Udayavani, a famous National
Kannada Daily published from Manipal, in the year 1995. His deep academic interest in Astrology
earned him a prefix to his name ASTRO only to be popularly known as ASTRO MOHAN among
friends, well wishers and also uninvitingly among the people who knew the trick of the trade.
Astro Mohan hails from Bellary, and took his early education in a small village known as
Cheekanahalli in Hassan District, high school education in Belgaum and degree education in Arts in
Canara College, Mangalore.
Astro is striving hard to give new dimension to photography in the field of journalism where telltale
photos hold sway over millions of words scribbled.
Recently Astro’s Three pictures got accepted for the fourth Agens International photography digital
salon that was held at Budapest Hungary. international Level Photo Contest organized By
Jodhanapur Photographic society Jodhpur in 2013.
The rare photographs, which Astro shot on the life style of Dr.Shivaram Karnath, Jnana Peetha
Awardee of Kannada literature, have been considered a landmark, which brought name and fame
to Mohan as an artistic photographer of vivid interest. His spectacular photographs on the beauty
and serenity of various flowers made innumerable art lovers to turn once again to the nature. The
floral photos earned wide acclaim as having therapeutic values in the present day tension ridden
competitive society. The visual values of the photographs imbibed in them the quality to promote
peace and happiness in the viewers.
Astro always exposed himself to the newer challenges of photography, which made him inquisitive
in his quest to achieve excellence in the field of art. His cautious and careful observations of the
‘changing facets’ of the Car Street in Udupi inspired him to catch rare glimpses of UDUPI
RATHABEEDHI which are moving towards oblivion. Popularly nicknamed as the Hyde Park of the
Temple City, the Rathabeedi (Car Street) of Udupi has been gaining more and more commercial
values while shedding its religious and cultural values in accordance with the changing times. The
exhibition of the photos snapped by Mohan catching the glimpses of the changing facets of the Car
Street brought him accolades from commoner to the art critic.
Astro has also found interest in creating awareness among the people about the dreaded disease
AIDS and the evils of drugs through his state of art MAGIC. He rode motorbike from Mangalore to
Karwar blindfolded only to warn the voters not to franchise their valuable votes blindly. He
repeated the same venture in Udupi also to promote commitment among the voters.
He has also conducted various workshops and demonstrations to create awareness among the
people against the black magic perpetrated by the pseudo Baabaas to exploit the hapless illiterates.
Mohan got happily married to Vidushi Praveeena who is an excellent Bharathanatya performer, a
charcoal artist and a miniature painter as well. Her recent exhibition of her vivid art works along
with Mohan at Udupi, especially the recreations of world famous Ravi verma paintings on raised
the eyebrows of art lovers and critics in appreciation.
When Gujarath experienced the trauma of the century, the earthquake, which caused huge loss of
life and property ever heard of in the history of the nation, Mohan dared to visit the quake-hit
areas and captured the pathetic and heart throbbing scenes in his camera. The daredevil photos
taken by Mohan were recently exhibited in the Banquet hall in Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore. The
exhibition under the banner ‘Gujarath Earthquake Disaster as I saw it’ was inaugurated by none
other than the Chief Minister Mr. S.M.Krishna who whole heartedly appreciated the pains taken by
Mohan in capturing the heart throbbing glimpses of the tragedy of the Century to enable people
realise the loss of life and property caused by the fury of the mother earth.
Today the proud and rare photographs snapped by Mohan have found prestigious place in the
offices of Syndicate Bank, Canara Bank, Karnataka bank, and also in the National and International
magazines etc. The spectacular floral photos snapped by him have decorated the calendars of
various renowned banks attracting millions of art lovers.
The eminent personalities of photojournalism like Late Sri. T.S.Satyan, Sudharak Olve of Mumbai
Mirror, Sr. Phototojournalist Prashanth Panjir, Raghu Roy,Mr. Perumal, Tippeswami and Retired
Magazine Editor of Udayavani Mr.A. Ishwarayya have whole-heartedly appreciated the painstaking
artistic works of Mohan who has taken the challenge to explore the newer horizons of journalism
with greater zeal and commitment for the last eight years in his quest.
Being blessed with “Shree Krishnanugraha Prashasthi” by the seer of Shree Shiroor Matha , Puttige
Matha of Udupi during their tenure of Paryaya, Astro Mohan is in close contact with the seers of
Ashta Mathas of Udupi by whose blessings only, he firmly believes, he could scale new heights of
success in his life. Added to this, Astro has, to his credit, the choicest blessings of the
Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala, Rajarshi, Dr. Veerendra Heggade
E-Mail: astromohan@gmail.com
www.astromohan.com