DEATH OF A JOURNALIST: END OF AN ERA

Veteran journalist S. Nihal Singh died last month, aged 88. He was a great journalist and author of several books. He edited The Statesman and The Indian Express.

Singh was awarded the prestigious International Editor of the Year Award in New York for opposing the Emergency imposed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

As a tribute to an eminent journalist I want to mention what he said about us in relation to press freedom in India. It comes from the Preface of my book, Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide, published in December 1993:

"In his column, Mediawatch, published Sunday magazine of Calcutta, eminent journalist and recently-elected President of the Press Club of India, S. Nihal Singh, observes: “...the fighters of press freedom are not those who declaim the virtues of the freedom of the press at great gatherings, useful as such exercises are as reminders of principles. They are the small-town journalists who spurn temptations of political patronage and personal monetary gain to do their jobs honestly.”

Singh then goes on to add: “The fourth estate has a growing responsibility in pinpointing the evils because it is often the only pillar of democracy to be found in these areas.” He finally comments: “But newspapers need to do more to support lone journalists fighting against great odds...It is, therefore, the duty of the national press to highlight the sacrifices of little-known men and women fighting at the real frontiers of press freedom...The old battle against India Gandhi’s Emergency was fought and won in the capital and other metropolitan centres. The new battles are now raging elsewhere. Let us salute those who are fighting them.”

Salutations, Sir!