“Yes. Then what happened, What did Beckit say?” The old man sitting on the other side of the table in the posh five star hotel asked with a smile in Hindi. I fumbled. “The last temptation is the biggest treason, to do the right thing for the wrong reason”, I murmured. “Right”. He laughed. Becket was a friend of the king and he revolted against him when the king had tried to challenge the authority of the Church. The man in spectacles was talking about the plot of T.S. Eliot’s ‘Murder In The Cathedral’ and I was caught napping. I was not prepared for this question.
This was the last week of September of 1991 and I was facing interview for “Jansatta”, Kolkata edition. The weather was not very humid and I was sitting in a centrally airconditioned room, but I was sweating and feeling thirsty. In fact, I was nervous. I was talking to the man whom I had read hundreds of times and become an admirer. He was the legendary Prabhash Joshi. I had applied for the post of a trainee journalist, thinking that even if I was not selected, at least I would be able to meet Prabhash Joshi. Not a bad bargain, I told myself.
But the nature conspired to give me a life-time opportunity. After a gruelling one hour interview, he said, ” So pundit, you will get only Rs. 1,600 for a month for one year, is it ok?’ I said, “It is more than enough. I am ready to work for free”, I tried to conceal my nervousness and controlled my breath. “Ok. Write down the address and reach there tomorrow to get your appointment letter.” I was shocked. I could not believe my years, I was not ready to accept that I would get an opportunity to work under the leadership of Prabhas jee. Was he asking it to someone else?. But there was no one except we two and Amit jee, who became our News Editor later. I pressed my nail into my palm to get it confirmed whether it was a reality or a dream. By then he extended his hand to shake mine. I do not remember what I did. I came out, some of the aspirants sitting their tried to consult me, I evaded every one and rushed out to catch a bus so that I could inform my father of the development. I do not remember how I reached my hostel. I could not sleep that night and blamed it on the humidity and the loadshedding, though there was no loadshedding that night. I got the hand-written appointmet letter next day. I still have that as one my most valuable possesions.
Much water has flown down the Ganges since then. I became such a journalist, who could not fit anywhere outside the mould. I could not make compromise on news and independence of the authority of the editor. I lost my job in a news television channel only because I had protested against the interference of the manager. As long as I am here, only editorial will decide what should go on air, I said bluntly. I refused to buckle under the pressure of the management. I kept the independence of editorial at the top as Prabhas jee had taught us in many of his editorial meetings. I remeber Prabhash ji who told us after the interview, “Be like the bishop friend of the king. No compromise on values and principle and stand firm even if you have to oppose your friend.”
In spite of working for the business page, I could not do any favour to any business house or any seth jee in Kolkata. I could not adopt flattery for personal development, I could not work with biases, I did not think of crushing the opponents for keeping myself safe. Such were the teachings of Prabhas jee, my idol, my hero. My juniors find it difficult to accept when I tell them about him. “Common, its past”, they shrug their shoulders with indifference. I do not blame them. Journalism has changed like never before.
I am a product of Prabhas school of journalism and adore him like Eklavya. I will tell the journalists of future generations with pride that I have seen Prabhash Joshi. What else should I demand!.
Pramode Mallik is working as an Editor with a Cyprus-based e-paper. He started journalism with Jansatta, when Prabhash jee was at the helm of the affairs.
