The Hindu : National : Tributes to Sham Lal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007
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National

National

Tributes to Sham Lal

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Noted journalist Sham Lal, who passed away here last week, was remembered by members of the media fraternity, his family and friends at a memorial meeting here on Monday.

Tributes were paid to Sham Lal — the father, the editor, the critic and the thinker — at the ceremony attended by the former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral, Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy and senior journalists.

Sham Lal's son Deepak Gupta and daughter Neena Vyas spoke about the personal side of the legendary editor. "My father was a man of the people," Mr. Gupta said. "He belonged more to his readers than the family."

Mr. Gupta said his father was "somewhat shy, but happy" in the company of writers and poets. "He instilled in us the values of honesty, responsibility and integrity," he said, and added that even in the last years of his father's life, "his handwriting may have become illegible, but his thoughts were lined with clarity."

Neena Vyas, Associate Editor of The Hindu , recalled a childhood made rich by the presence of artistes, writers and poets. From poet Allen Ginsberg and the former Mexican Ambassador to India, Octavio Paz, to writer Nirmal Verma and poet Srikant Verma, distinguished visitors to their home were many. "But father also had plenty of time for his children and grandchildren."

The former Editor of The Times of India, Dilip Padgaonkar, read out excerpts from articles that showed a glimpse of the writings and thoughts of the veteran journalist.

"Versatile"

Journalist Inder Malhotra said Sham Lal was one of the best-read people he had come across.

"The most impressive characteristic of the legendary editor," he said, "was that despite being tremendously versatile, he remained totally away from the celebrity syndrome."

Even when Sham Lal was vehement in his criticism, it was done without an iota of malice.

Sanskrit verses and bhajans were sung by Hindustani classical vocalist Subhadra Desai at the end of the meeting.

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