People's Democracy

Homage Paid to Dinesh Chandra

RICH tributes were paid to DUJ vice president Dinesh Chandra at a condolence meeting held at the DUJ Amphitheatre in New Delhi, on April 8. Journalists, press workers and artists attended the meeting in a substantial number.

Veteran journalist Dinesh Chandra died on April 6 after a brief illness. Dinesh Chandra, who retired as bureau chief of the Financial Express, had worked with various other dailies earlier.

Dinesh Chandra was a founder member of the Indian Journalists Union and an office bearer of the DUJ in various capacities for a long time. He was also associated with the Press Association, Indian Express Employees Union and the Press Club of India.

Speakers at the meeting recalled his humble and simple approach, spartan life style and his down to earth attitude. His friendly nature endeared him even to those who would not agree with his views.

Dinesh’s extraordinary dedication to the cause of the working journalists and press workers was acknowledged by all those who spoke at the meeting. They also admired his professional competence and his knowledge of economic, political and legal affairs. His deep interest and love for music and films were also recollected.

Messages received from his old colleagues and various fraternal bodies including the Indian Journalists Union, the AP Union of Working Journalists, the Indian Federation of Working Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists were read out at the meeting.

Organisations that paid tributes included the Confederation of Newspapers & News Agencies Employees Organisations, PTI Employees, All India Newspaper Employees Federation, Indian Express Employees Union, Press Club of India, Patriot Employees Union, Hindustan Times Employees Union, Kerala Union of Working Journalists, Press Association, Lawyers Forum, All India Lawyers Union, United Lawyers Association etc. All of them emphasised that the only way to carry forward Dinesh’s legacy is to build a stronger and more united journalists movement and foster unity between journalists and contract employees.

Among the host of speakers at the meeting were DUJ president Sujata Madhok, its general secretary S K Pande, Press Club of India president Anand K Sahay, former DUJ president Anand Prakash, AINEF president Madan Talwar, veteran journalist Bobby Mathur, Dr Arbindo Ghosh of the Lawyers Forum for Democratic Rights, B K Pal Advocate, writer K K Singh, veteran journalist Madhusudan Srinivas, Jal Khambata and Iftikar Gilani.

The Pehchan theatre group remembered Dinesh by rendering Kabir’s poems and Sufi songs.