Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district Rajyotsava award honored famous photo journalist Keshava Vittal is no more. He was suffering from kidney ailments and breathed his last on Monday morning.

Coming from Vittal in Dakshina Kannada district, he started his career as a photo journalist through “Mungaru” newspaper. Showing the world from the lens of a camera, Keshava Vittal showed the new inner vision of Karnataka through his coffee table book titled “Facets of Karnataka-A Pictorial Journey.” State tourism department published this book.

Keshava Vittal was born in the rural area of Vittal in 1961. He started his career as a photo journalist at “Mungaru” newspaper in 1984. Since 1996, he worked as the photo journalist for “Indian Express” newspaper in Bengaluru for several years after which he continued his career as a freelance photo journalist for “The Telegraph” and “Hindustan Times” newspapers.

Keshava Vittal has successfully hosted several solo photo exhibitions and has been honoured with several awards including Best news photo journalist award from Karnataka working journalist association, Lifetime achievement award from Bengaluru Press Club, D.K. district Rajyotsava award, Tulunada Siri Award.