Monday, April 21, 2008
He taught his reporters, administrative employees the meaning of integrity
As I mentioned in my tribute to Mr. Raju on my television program, his importance to so many of us in the profession of journalism is simply immeasurable.
I was but a young lad, editing a small weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C., working the extra odd job here and there to finance my pursuit of a graduate degree at American University. He spotted something in my work in 1976 and astounded me with an offer to become an editor of India Abroad. I was dum founded because, by my own estimate of myself at the time, I was far too young to be handed responsibility for a newspaper that clearly was heading toward becoming the main medium of our then infant community. But Mr. Raju thought otherwise and asked me to give him a ‘yes' or ‘no' answer as soon as possible.
I fudged, thought about it, then passed up the offer. I ended up becoming the editor a year later of a brand new newspaper, News India.
But by late 1979, I walked into the Park Avenue offices of India Abroad in Manhattan. I asked to meet with Mr. Raju and he obliged. Was his offer to me still good, I asked. At first he gave me that miffed look.
Then he spoke, somewhat noncommittal, "You should have jumped on board the first time I asked you". There were a few minutes of silence as he appeared to size me up.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
I was but a young lad, editing a small weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C., working the extra odd job here and there to finance my pursuit of a graduate degree at American University. He spotted something in my work in 1976 and astounded me with an offer to become an editor of India Abroad. I was dum founded because, by my own estimate of myself at the time, I was far too young to be handed responsibility for a newspaper that clearly was heading toward becoming the main medium of our then infant community. But Mr. Raju thought otherwise and asked me to give him a ‘yes' or ‘no' answer as soon as possible.
I fudged, thought about it, then passed up the offer. I ended up becoming the editor a year later of a brand new newspaper, News India.
But by late 1979, I walked into the Park Avenue offices of India Abroad in Manhattan. I asked to meet with Mr. Raju and he obliged. Was his offer to me still good, I asked. At first he gave me that miffed look.
Then he spoke, somewhat noncommittal, "You should have jumped on board the first time I asked you". There were a few minutes of silence as he appeared to size me up.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: believed, Gopal Raju, journalism, Manhattan, program, Swedish newspaper, television, Washington
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Astute, indomitable and brilliant... he created legal history in United States
Gopal Raju's casual demeanor, boyish looks and apparent shyness hid a steeliness and chutzpah that emerged whenever a crisis surfaced.
He displayed both qualities during the nerve racking libel suit against India Abroad News Service by Ajitabh Bachchan in connection with the Bofors kickback scandal in 1991 - for which I (as the agency's London bureau chief) was responsible and single handedly went on to create legal history in the United States.
To realize Raju's astuteness in the landmark judgment for which leading U.S. newspapers and television networks will forever remain grateful to this humble Indian with a razor sharp mind and easy manners, some background is required.
In 1990 at the CBI's request, the Swiss authorities froze six coded accounts into which alleged kickbacks of around $50 million from the import of 410 Bofors howitzers had been deposited.
Following investigation, however, Swiss bankers discovered a sixth "inter-connected" account.
Thereafter, Bo Anderson, a correspondent for Dagens Nyheter, the leading Swedish newspaper credited with several Bofors exposes, relying on CBI and Indian legal sources, declared that the account was Ajitabh Bachchan's, brother of the film icon Amitabh in the January 31, 1990 edition of his journal.
This report was widely quoted by several newspapers and agencies, including the IANS bureau in London which I then represented.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
He displayed both qualities during the nerve racking libel suit against India Abroad News Service by Ajitabh Bachchan in connection with the Bofors kickback scandal in 1991 - for which I (as the agency's London bureau chief) was responsible and single handedly went on to create legal history in the United States.
To realize Raju's astuteness in the landmark judgment for which leading U.S. newspapers and television networks will forever remain grateful to this humble Indian with a razor sharp mind and easy manners, some background is required.
In 1990 at the CBI's request, the Swiss authorities froze six coded accounts into which alleged kickbacks of around $50 million from the import of 410 Bofors howitzers had been deposited.
Following investigation, however, Swiss bankers discovered a sixth "inter-connected" account.
Thereafter, Bo Anderson, a correspondent for Dagens Nyheter, the leading Swedish newspaper credited with several Bofors exposes, relying on CBI and Indian legal sources, declared that the account was Ajitabh Bachchan's, brother of the film icon Amitabh in the January 31, 1990 edition of his journal.
This report was widely quoted by several newspapers and agencies, including the IANS bureau in London which I then represented.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Ajitabh Bachchan, Bofors kickback scandal, Gopal Raju, IANS bureau, New York Supreme Court, Swedish newspaper, United states
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