The Kingdom of Raigam Chairman / CEO Dr. Ravi Liyanage told Reel Life that they started with 19 award categories eight years ago and this year it has gradually increased to 52 awards for 2011 tele creations in various categories including the best and popular segments.

“Despite our rawness when we started this awards ceremony in August 2005, we initially faced difficulties but we overcame them in the following years expanding the horizon from tele drama awards to wide ranging television awards and renaming the ceremony as Raigam ‘TELE’ES’ last year. The main idea is to give it a totally different identity which could take the baton forward even without us.

If we continue it as Raigam tele awards ceremony, the day we stop it somebody will have to start afresh. A name like ‘Tele’es’ is itself a brand name which can be carried forward like Grammy, Oscars or even IIFA. Our vision is to ensure that the programme runs and it must run. If it gets into good hands they can make ‘TELE’ES’ the awards ceremony for south East Asia. Our Raigam brand is already established and we don’t need to have the whole focus on that brand. We give the highest number of awards in a solo awards ceremony exclusively for the tele industry and we also give them cash prizes. Will you believe that there are more than 14,000 people directly involved in the tele industry but sadly we only have two regular awards ceremonies for the small screen exclusively,” Dr. Liyanage said.

“The panel of Judges plays a huge role in this whole exercise. It's not a matter of spending money. If our efforts are 50% the other 50% credit should go to the seven-member panel of judges headed by Dr. Patrick Rathnayake and comprising Buddhadasa Galappaththi, Prof. Ajantha Hapuarachchi, Visharada Edward Jayakody, Hansamala Ritigahapola, Ramasami Tharmakulasingham and Prof. Sampath Amarathunga  They work 100% voluntarily almost five days a week watching teles from the start to end.

This time we have added two more two categories for Tamil and English news readers and tv presenters. The programme will be divided into four major segments - tele segment covering tele dramas, the media awards except tele dramas, popular segment and the Prathiba Pranama lifetime awards to veterans in recognition of their contributions to the tele industry. The events will be interspersed with colourful segments. 

We were the first to start the selection of popular awards based on sms votes.

The event will culminate with the presentation of the channel of the year award.

This year too Sampath Bank has joined the event as the strategic partner while ‘Dazzling’ has joined 'adding beauty' to it,” said Dr. Liyanage announcing that the glittering ceremony will be telecast on all main television channels soon.