PM'S SPEECH AT A FUNCTION TO RELEASE A COMMEMORATIVE STAMP ON
LATE SHRI DURGA DAS
The Prime Minister,
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee released a commemorative stamp on celebrated
journalist, Late Shri Durga Das, here today. Deputy Prime Minister,
Shri L.K. Advani, Union Minister for Communication, Shri Arun
Shourie, former President, Shri R. Venkatraman, former Prime Minister,
Shri I.K. Gujral and noted journalist Shri Inderjit were among
the distinguished guests present on the occasion. Following is
the text of the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's speech
on the occasion:
"I
am pleased to be with all of you this evening to pay tribute to
the late Shri Durga Das, an outstanding figure in Indian journalism.
I commend the Department of Posts for honoring him by bringing
out a commemorative stamp.
Journalism
these days has become so fast-paced that it is not often that
we recall the great names from yesteryears. To people of my generation,
Durga Das was certainly one such tall name. He served in his profession
for over fifty years – nearly equally divided between a period
before Independence and that after Independence. He wrote with
much acclaim on both domestic and international affairs.
It
is said that the best of journalism reads like "history in
fast forward". This is true about what Durga Das wrote. For
such a person, work and life become inseparable. Which is why,
even after Durga Das left active journalism, love for the written
word didn’t leave him.
At
the request of the prestigious Navjivan Trust of Ahmedabad, he
undertook the difficult task of editing the complete correspondence
of Sardar Patel, with whom he had a close rapport, in 10 bulky
volumes. Each volume ran into 500-600 pages.
Friends,
Journalism has changed a lot since the time of editors like Durga
Das. I was also an editor those days – though, I must admit, not
as well known as he was.
But
if one thing has not changed in all these decades, it is the people’s
expectation that what they read is credible and truthful. Credibility
is the greatest asset of a journalist and a newspaper – and I
should hasten to add, also of TV channels.
Today
there is a surfeit of newspapers and TV channels. All are engaged
in a race for readers and viewers. But it is useful to remember
that, in the end, only those names and products of journalism
survive the test of time that also meet the test of credibility.
These
days there is even a new breed of journalists called "embedded
journalists". I do not wish to comment on this new phenomenon.
Except to say that journalism should be embedded only in Truth
and Professional Values.
If
we remember and honour a journalist like Durga Das decades after
he passed away, it is because he set high standards of dedication
and professional excellence.
Truly,
Durga Das ought to have been honoured long back. Any way, Shri
Arun Shourie, himself an outstanding name in Indian journalism,
has done the right thing by deciding to bring out a commemorative
stamp in his honour.
As
we say in Hindi, "Der aayad durast aayad." Thank
you."
