Wednesday, January 18, 2006

N.P.UPADHYAYA  

Yet another prominent pillar of Nepali journalism has said good-bye to this material world. I would say, this was an irreparable loss to the still crawling Nepali media. In effect he was respected by all: both his friends and detractors.

My association with him began right the day I joined the then Nepal Patrakar Sangh. Then senior and all-time friendly journalist, Gopal Das Shrestha, used to preside the media institution that was certainly the umbrella organization of the entire Nepali journalists.

My association with late Govinda Biyogi-Baidya, began, let me be precise, from 1969 October. The friend who brought me closer to late Biyogi was none other than my own boss at the Jyoti Weekly then edited by K.P.Kumud.

Later Govinda Dai used to tell me about the nitty-gritty of the Nepali media and suggested how to remain true to the profession.

Some time later, one of his son(s) was my student as well at a higher Secondary school where I used to be a teacher. This connection also facilitated our relation.

Whenever I met him, in all his modesty and simplicity, late Govinda dai used to enquire about mny health. Last April, he lamented that he could not come to see me in the hospital wherein I was admitted for a high-blood pressure problem.

This was his modesty. I salute him for his kind-heartedness.

I knew Govinda Dai as a hard working journalist when he used to have his office at Ghanta Ghar, just infront of the Tri Chandra campus. He then use to edit some Left leaning newspapers and most prominent of them all was the Matri-Bhoomi-the motherland. His weekly was in a tabloid form and could be taken as the most widely circulated and well revered newspaper of that time.

Many a times, the editor have had to undergo traumatic experiences out of the hands of the then rulers. However, this did not deter him from his scathing and penetrating articles against the then system.

Later when he quit active journalism, he used to invite me for a peg or two of the special RAKSHI which he prepared from the petals of ROSE.

Superb taste indeed. Unfortunately, I could enjoy that very liquid only two times at his private residence at Kamalpokhari.

"Bring rose petals as much as you can, and in lieu you would be allowed to drink two pegs of the Rakshi". Is what Govinda Dai used to say me.

Later, when we met at the party/reception, he would suggest me to join his Editors' Society wherein my intimate friend, Puspa, is associated since long.

He was a human being with human touch. If he was a modest personality then at times I have seen his infuriated face as well. He rejected the idea of hegemony in the media. Albeit he stood and fought for the press freedom but then he favored freedom attached with duties and responsibilities. This was what I liked in him most. In effect, this is my policy as well. I wouldn't say that I copied his ideas but some way or the other I must admit that I was heavily influenced by this idea wherein he used to say sky can't be the limit for freedom.

Now with his demise, I know that fatherly personalities of Nepali journalism who dominated the scene for decades and decades have started leaving this world. Nevertheless, I am happy that a new breed of journalists with proper training has entered into this sector. This is good omen.

What should I say in this hour of pain? Except that rest O! Yeh1 Great soul in peace. The nation will miss you. We your old friends will miss you. The new comers in this profession will miss you because they could listen about your personality but could not get an opportunity to work with you.

I salue you Govinda Dai. My heartfelt condolence to the members of the bereaved family.

A brilliant son of the soil has left us all.