Mr. G. Kasturi was the longest serving Editor of the prestigious newspaper in the country, The Hindu. He headed the editorial team from 1965 to 1991. His death anniversary was on September 21.
To say that Kasturi was a great editor, a towering personality, a visionary captain who had steered the century-old newspaper to success through turbulent times etc. is to state the obvious.
He was much more. He was intensely human – loving, compassionate and full of grace in a profession known for dog eat dog character. I can speak with full authority as one who was beneficiary of these sterling qualities. I had the good fortune of being selected by him. An editor of eminence apart, GK, as he was better known, was an expert in every department of newspaper production such as printing, photography etc. No technical man could take him for a ride.
He had come to Hyderabad on a private visit on August 14, 2004. He was 80 years old and had stopped involvement in day to day affairs of the newspaper. An upstart photographer, who thought Kasturi possessed only superficial knowledge of the subject, came to his senses and realised how small he was after Kasturi grilled him for 15 minutes and gave him a lot of ‘gyan’.
Sample GK’s self-effacing simplicity and old world grace. He turned up at the office to meet us – editorial and other staff. As the chief of bureau, I received him. First thing he asked me was ‘ how is your health now?’
I had a heart surgery a few months before. I wondered how he knew it.
He went on, ‘What medicines are you taking and the diet?’
He politely declined to take my chair, as he did more than 30 years ago to my predecessor, Rajendra Prasad. In an informal talk with editorial and other staff, he explained he had come ‘with the permission of Ram (then editor-in-chief) to meet you all’. (As a former editor, chairman of the company and proprietor director, did he need anyone’s permission? Such was his grace.)
At the interview in August 1976 he selected me to work at Kurnool as roving correspondent. I mumbled ‘thank you sir. My wife is a government servant and cannot be transferred out of Hyderabad’ thus dropping a subtle hint that I be accommodated in Hyderabad.
He rejected it equally subtly saying ‘The Hindu is like a big family, the moment you join, you are a part of it. We know family values. I hate to keep you and family apart. Think it over. Take your time.’ I took three months and joined the newspaper.
How I came back to Hyderabad is another story.
Kasturi sir was fully involved in the launching of the paper’s Hyderabad edition, flying down from Chennai every week preceding the launch and continued it until the ‘baby’ was on its feet firmly. He never interfered in day to day editorial matters beyond getting occasional briefings but devoted his time and energies to strengthen printing, processing, distribution aspects. Those days state of the art machinery from France was being erected.
He was booked accommodation in a star hotel (Bluemoon) across the road, but he would sit with the engineers through the day and until the first edition rolled out around midnight. He would take a power nap in an old sofa in a small hall which doubled up as a dark room. The hotel room was good only for wash, change of clothes and night sleep. He used to tell us ‘I work hard. I expect you to work harder.’
He was a good friend of another eminent editor and graceful man, Abid Ali Khan of Siasat, which like The Hindu was known for sobriety of tone and credibility. The late Abid Ali Khan was on the board of the short-lived Samachar with Kasturi as chairman.
I joined in the 99th year of The Hindu (1977), participated in the centenary celebrations and was chief of bureau in the 125th year.
I wonder if we can ever come across an editor-proprietor like Gopalan Kasturi.
Remembering G. Kasturi, long-serving Editor of The Hindu (1965-1991) on his death anniversary (September 21).
To say that Kasturi was a great editor, a towering personality, a visionary captain who had steered the century-old newspaper to success through turbulent times etc is to state the obvious.
He was much more. He was intensely human – loving, compassionate and full of grace in a profession known for dog eat dog character. I can speak with full authority as one who was beneficiary of these sterling qualities. I had the good fortune of being selected by him. An editor of eminence apart, GK, as he was better known, was an expert in every department of newspaper production such as printing, photography. No technical man could take him for a ride.
Dasu Kesava Rao is a seasoned journalist who has worked, among several newspapers, with The Hindu and served as its Bureau Chief in Hyderabad.