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Ved Bhasin
Ved Bhasin

In death of Ved Bhasin, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has lost an inspiring figure who set high standards of objective journalism and showed exceptional courage in highlighting human rights situation in the most crucial times, Kashmir based journalists said in a resolution adopted at a condolence meeting here Sunday.

The journalists talked about different facets of late Ved Bhasin’s personality, particularly his contribution to journalism.

Former North India Correspondent of The BBC Altaf Hussain said Mr Bhasin was an unbiased journalist and this was abundantly clear every time there was an extra-ordinary situation to cover. He said Mr Bhasin’s commitment to human rights was unparalleled. “I have seen in Kashmir Times such reports on human rights as only an editor of extra-ordinary courage and commitment would dare publish,” Hussain said.

The condolence meeting held in remembrance of editor Ved Bhasin who left this world late Thursday evening in Jammu. He was founder of Kashmir Times. (KL Image courtesy: Qazi Irshad)
The condolence meeting held in remembrance of editor Ved Bhasin who left this world late Thursday evening in Jammu. He was founder of Kashmir Times. (KL Image courtesy: Qazi Irshad)

Editor of the Chattan Tahir Mohiuddin said that Kashmir Times had to face the wrath of authorities for its uncompromising reportage so much so that the Kashmir Times Press was at one time at the verge of being put to auction.

Senior journalist Rashid Ahmad said Mr Bhasin provided a platform to budding journalists of Kashmir. “He (Ved Ji) encouraged us in so many ways to grow and quite a number of us later on worked for national and international media organizations,” he said.

Ahmad’s view was shared by a number of participants who said that Ved Bhasin had always given them a free hand to work as honest professionals even if he had to face pulls and pressures.

Masood Hussain said Ved Ji was close friends with some politicians but this never influenced his objectivity as an editor.

Ehsan Fazili, who started his career from Kashmir Times said Ved Bhasin instilled high professional values among the youngsters who worked with him.

Merajuddin who worked as Photo Editor of The Kashmir Times before joining the APTN said, “Ved Ji gave his staff love and affection and never treated them as employees”.

Ishfaq Ul Hassan of DNA who also started his career with KT described Mr Bhasin as “the reporters’ editor who gave us the confidence to work conscientiously”.

The Bureau Chief of Kashmir Times, Zahoor Malik said, “Ved Ji gave us a sense of belonging and always stood by us in the most trying circumstances.”

Among others who participated in the meeting were Nazir Masoodi (NDTV), Khursheed Wani (The Pioneer), Mufti Islah (CNN-IBN), Tariq A Rather (AIR), Muzaffar Raina (The Telegraph) besides photojournalists Farooq Javed and Habib Naqash.

The Kashmir Times staff also joined the meeting and shared their fond memories of late Ved Bhasin. The meeting expressed solidarity with the family of late Mr Bhasin, particularly with Anuradha Bhasin, Anju Bhasin and Prabodh Jamwal.

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