English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

He Was, By All Accounts, The Last Of The Gentlemen Editors

Published

8 years ago

on

He Was, By All Accounts, The Last Of The Gentlemen Editors

~By Saeed Naqvi

These are such desperate times for journalism that S. Nihal Singh’s departure at 89, triggers memories about a phase in the profession that dreams are made of.

My personal journalistic trajectory trailed his rather closely. He was The Statesman’s Special Correspondent in Singapore when I entered the portals of that once great newspaper as a cub reporter.

I was, in fact, following Nihal’s footsteps because this was how he entered the profession a decade earlier – as a cub reporter. There were no schools of journalism then, but we received training of exactly the thoroughness which our respective letters of appointment had promised:

“We do not guarantee you employment at the end of the six month training period, but the training you will have received here will enable you to find work elsewhere.” It remained something of a puzzle why the pocket money Nihal was offered during the training period was infinitely higher than mine which was a meagre Rs.300 per month.

Like most of us who entered the profession after him, Nihal covered New Delhi courts, Tis Hazari courts, Municipal Corporation, Delhi State Assembly, Police Commissioner, Chief Minister. The drill of dwelling on nodal points of governance and power, moving upwards in measured step, imparted to the journalist that most precious of attitudes: an indifference to power, an ability not to be overawed.

He Was, By All Accounts, The Last Of The Gentlemen Editors

As the profession expanded behavioural contrasts magnified. Untrained entrants at senior levels, who had romanticized political power from a distance, became unsteady on their feet because they found corridors of power too heady. A sense of balance was a frequent casualty.

This is where Nihal could not go wrong. In 1982, when the nation was convulsed by the Meenakshipuram conversions, Nihal, then Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Express, sent a teleprinter message to me in Madras where I was then posted as editor of five southern editions: “urgently need 700 words on Meenakshipuram.”

I put on my ultra-balanced hat and churned out the required wordage. It was a typical “while on the one hand” but “on the other” piece. Muslims shouldn’t be upto these tricks and Hindus shouldn’t get too excited. I mentioned “structural violence” in the Hindu social order: this was sacriledge and Nihal let it pass. Unaware of the gathering storm, he thanked me for having responded promptly.

What followed took him and me by surprise. We were both completely out of touch with the strength of feelings on the issue. Indeed, a certain indifference to religion which a whole generation cultivated as Nehruvian secularism was being jettisoned and we found ourselves flat footed.

After a brilliant career with the IAS and having established himself as a scholar of the Indus Valley script, Iravatham Mahadevan, had taken up a job as Executive Manager of the Indian Express’s southern editions. After reading my edit, he came charging to my room in a state of high agitation. “How could you have done it?” He looked at me in a daze, blabbering like someone in a motor accident. “How could you have done it?” I learnt later he was from the RSS, shakhas et al. I commend to the RSS to keep more Mahadevans in its stable. He was exceptionally erudite on subjects of his choice.

In the Express compound, in Hick’s bungalow, Ramnath Goenka was bringing the ceiling down: “Hindu Kahan Javey?” (Where should the Hindus go?) “Tum to Makkay chale jaao; Hindu kahan javey?” (You can go to Mecca, but where should the Hindu go?)

He commandeered his chartered accountant, S. Gurumurthy, senior RSS functionary, to write a rejoinder to my editorial. My “balanced” approach to Meenakshipuram, it transpired, was misplaced.

It was now Nihal’s turn to face the music. The piece, authored by Gurumurthy, arrived at his desk in New Delhi. His job as Editor was on the line. What should he do? But Nihal did what he had learnt in The Statesman. In a newspaper, the prerogative for taking editorial decision rests with the editor. He consigned the article to the waste paper basket. Ramnath Goenka too was a larger than life publisher. He allowed his Editor’s line to prevail. But separation was clearly on the cards; they belonged to different cultures.

So did S. Mulgaonkar “apparently” belong to another culture but he was both, a craftier man and a finer writer. In the projection of his image, Mulgaonkar was exactly Nihal’s opposite. Never having been to school, Mulgaonkar cultivated all the airs of English aristocracy. He was adept at bridge, horse racing, angling, and, believe it or not, keeping Oxford and Cambridge cricket scores. He was a gourmet cook, a fad for which he cultivated junior French diplomats as sources for herbs and white wine. All of this impressed the Marwari in RNG. Once an editor, devoted to the amber stuff, looked at his watch and dropped an obvious hint: “I suppose I will not get a drink here.” Pat came the reply from RNG “I keep, but only for English people.”

Nihal had no aristocratic pretenses of a Mulgaonkar. He was content with his buffalo undercut, marinated in garlic and pepper, roast potatoes and Dujon mustard on the side. He called it beef fillet. The Dujon, rather than English mustard was in deference to his warm hearted Dutch wife, Ge. He had first come to know her when she was a young KLM hostess. I remember him flaunt his European affiliation before friends in London: “I prefer the continent”, he would say with a sort of flat, ineffective pomp.

His understanding of politics and International affairs was uncomplicated. He made up in clarity what he lacked in deep insight. He was, by habit, a perfect gentleman.

It was a mistake, I believe, for both Pran Chopra and Nihal Singh to be parked respectively in Kolkata as editors of The Statesman. The only Punjabi that Bengal has ever tolerated was K.L. Sehgal in New Theatre cinema. This elicited no more than a smile from Nihal.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Over 5,000 tribals join BJP in Assam’s Goalpara ahead of elections

More than 5,000 tribals, largely from the Garo community, joined the BJP in Assam’s Goalpara district during a large-scale ST Morcha programme ahead of elections.

Published

21 mins ago

on

February 26, 2026

By

Hemanta Sharma

More than 5,000 members of tribal communities formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a large-scale event held in Assam’s Goalpara district on February 25, weeks before key elections.

The joining programme was organised by the BJP ST Morcha, Assam Pradesh, at the Agia School playground. The event was conducted under the leadership of Riya Sangma, State Secretary of BJP ST Morcha and in-charge of the Goalpara ST Morcha.

Party leaders said the programme witnessed strong participation, particularly from the Garo community, describing it as a significant political development in the district.

The chief guest at the event was Samir Oran, National President of BJP ST Morcha and outgoing Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). Among those present were Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MP from the Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency, Ravindra Raju, Horen Singh Bey, who serves as State President of BJP ST Morcha, and other party leaders.

Goalpara district has traditionally seen strong influence from opposition parties, especially the Congress. Tribal voters in the region have largely remained divided, making the large-scale induction ahead of elections politically significant.

Addressing the media, Samir Oran said the BJP has brought a new phase of recognition and opportunity for tribal communities across the Northeast. He stated that the joining programme reflected growing trust among tribal populations in the party.

Riya Sangma said many tribal communities, particularly members of the Garo community, had earlier felt deprived of adequate respect and development benefits. She added that the participation of over 5,000 people demonstrated confidence in the BJP’s leadership.

Dipankar Nath, BJP Goalpara District President, termed the development a “game-changer” for the constituency. He said the party remains committed to the welfare, development and dignity of tribal communities.

Party leaders expressed confidence that the induction drive would strengthen the BJP’s organisational base in Goalpara and nearby areas ahead of the upcoming polls.

Continue Reading

India News

PM Modi crosses 100 million followers on Instagram, first world leader to achieve milestone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has crossed 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the first world leader to achieve the milestone and widening the gap with global counterparts.

Published

49 mins ago

on

February 26, 2026

By

pm modi followers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first world leader and politician to cross 100 million followers on Instagram, marking a significant moment in global political communication.

Having joined the platform in 2014, the Prime Minister has steadily built one of the most followed political profiles worldwide. Over the past decade, his Instagram account has featured updates on official engagements, international visits, public outreach programmes, cultural highlights and personal moments, helping him connect with a broad and diverse audience.

With 100 million followers, PM Modi now ranks first among world leaders on Instagram. His follower count is more than double that of US President Donald Trump, who stands at 43.2 million followers.

Other prominent leaders remain considerably behind in comparison. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has around 15 million followers, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has 14.4 million, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 11.6 million, and Argentine President Javier Milei has 6.4 million followers.

Notably, the combined follower count of the next five major global leaders remains lower than PM Modi’s individual tally, highlighting the scale of his digital outreach. Observers note that his presence on Instagram resonates strongly with younger users in India and abroad, reflecting the growing importance of visual and interactive platforms in political engagement.

Wide gap within India’s political space

The Prime Minister also maintains a substantial lead over other Indian political figures on Instagram. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has around 16.1 million followers, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approximately 12.6 million followers.

The gap underlines PM Modi’s dominant position on social media among domestic political leaders.

The milestone reflects a broader global trend of political leaders increasingly using platforms like Instagram to communicate directly with citizens, share governance updates, and expand public engagement beyond traditional media channels.

Continue Reading

India News

MK Stalin predicts frequent PM Modi visits to Tamil Nadu before assembly election

MK Stalin has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tamil Nadu more often ahead of the Assembly election, calling the tours politically motivated and questioning the Centre’s support to the state.

Published

15 hours ago

on

February 25, 2026

By

MK Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will increase his visits to the state as the Assembly election, expected in April or May, draws closer.

Speaking ahead of the polls, the DMK president said the Prime Minister has already begun touring Tamil Nadu and is likely to visit frequently in the coming months. He claimed that such visits could create discomfort within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as alliance partners may fear the political impact of repeated appearances.

Stalin calls visit politically motivated

The Chief Minister described the Prime Minister’s scheduled programmes in the state as “politically motivated”. PM Modi is set to attend various events in Madurai in southern Tamil Nadu, including the inauguration of the first phase of the AIIMS hospital project. He is also expected to visit the Thiruparankundram Temple amid the Karthigai Deepam-related controversy and participate in a public meeting organised by the NDA.

Stalin said he has been working for all sections of the population, including those who did not vote for his party. In contrast, he remarked that some leaders are visible in the state only during election time and increase their visits as polls approach.

Criticism over Union Budget allocations

The DMK leader also criticised the BJP-led central government, accusing it of neglecting Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that while approval was recently granted for the Gujarat Metro project, there were no major announcements or allocations for Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget.

Stalin asserted that voters would remember the lack of significant measures for the state. He framed the upcoming election as a contest between Tamil Nadu and the NDA, stating that the state should be governed from Fort St George in Chennai rather than from Delhi.

The ruling DMK is currently allied with several smaller parties and, at present, the Congress, as it seeks a third consecutive term in office. Its principal rival, the AIADMK, is aligned with the BJP as part of the NDA.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com