Press Club Jammu pays tributes to Ved Bhasin

Jammu, November 15 - Press Club of Jammu Sunday organized a solemn tribute ceremony in the memory of eminent journalist and Chairman of Kashmir Times group of Publications Ved Bhasin. Prominent citizens of Jammu, close family members, friends and colleagues of Ved Bhasin paid rich tributes to him while remembering his contribution in the field of journalism.

Close friends of Ved Bhasin Krishen Dev Sethi, former DGP, MM Khajooria, former PSC member KB Jandial, educationists and litterateurs Prof Rita Jitendra, Prof Lalit Magotra,SR Sudhir,Sanjeet Khajuria, Ashok Pahalwan, RS Gill, Adarsh Pal Gupta, Banarsi Dutt Sharma,Harbans Nagokay, Qurrat-ul-Ain, daughters of Ved Bhasin, Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal and Prof. Anju Bhasin, Editor Kashmir Times Prabodh Jamwal and other family members attended the tribute ceremony along with a large number of members of press fraternity.

President Press Club Ashwani Kumar, Vice President Abhimanya Sharma, General Secretary Zorawar Singh Jamwal, Treasurer Dinesh Manhotra and Management committee members of Press Club of Jammu were also present on the occasion and paid rich tributes to the doyen of journalism in Jammu and Kashmir.

A special documentary by a video-journalist Ashish Kohli on Ved Bhasin was also screened on the occasion profiling personal and professional aspects of multi-faceted personality of doyen of journalism.

While paying rich tributes to late Ved Bhasin, his long time associate and close friend Comrade Krishen Dev Sethi said Bhasin represented the voice of dissent against majority viewpoint but he was a 'rebel' for a cause. Sethi recalled Bhasin's contribution in the field of human rights,war against corruption and literature.
Former DGP and close friend M M Khajooria said his monumental contribution was promoting new talent through Kashmir Times Group of Publications which emerged as a 'nursery' for journalists in J&K.

Remembering their mentor senior journalists Anil Anand, Arun Joshi, SP Sharma, MK Bangroo recalled him as a journalist par excellence and an institution builder.
President of the Press Club Ashwani Kumar also recalled his association with Ved Bhasin and credited him for building Press Club of Jammu brick by brick and mentoring new crop of journalists.

Paying glowing homage, they credited Bhasin with whatever they could achieve in the field of journalism. Former PSC member K B Jandial said throughout his career Ved Bhasin never allowed professional bitterness to affect personal ties and tried to strike a balance between the professional and personal relationships. He said his demise has left a great void in the field of journalism, hard to be filled.

Senior photojournalist Raju Kerni remembered Bhasin's contribution in promoting photo journalism in J&K and as an editor who fought with police for his reporters on ground zero. Several other speakers including Prof Rita Jitendra, Prof Lalit Magotra and Qurrat-ul-Ain, sister of former MP Shamin Ahmad Shamin and close friend of Bhasin described him as a distinguished and an iconic journalist, who always worked tirelessly for the freedom of press in the state.

Prof Lalit said, he contributed immensely for the promotion of Dogri language in the state and always supported writers club. Members of the press fraternity said late Bhasin was a torch bearer and a legend who maintained highest standards and ethics in journalism. Paying rich tributes senior journalists also threw light on the life and immense contributions of late Bhasin in the field of journalism. They said that late Bhasin was not only a reputed journalist but a social leader who believed in secularism, humanism, democracy and egalitarian society in true essence, stood for his principles, and devoted his entire life for the cause of justice in the state.

Bhasin's daughters too paid an emotional homage to their illustrious father. Anuradha stated that she inherited a legacy of excellence from him which would be a challenge for her to be carried forward. However, she hoped that new generation would keep alive cherished values he fought for all his life. Prof Anju Bhasin recalled her father as a mentor, guide and above all a friend.

Special prayer was also held on the occasion and two minute silence was observed to pay homage to the renowned journalist.