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Selling news, making news
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From selling news to being in the news. That is the tale of India's grand old newsagent R.P. Puri, who has built an empire known as CNA. VIVEK SHUKLA traces the man's success story.
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Tireless effort...R.P. Puri in New Delhi. Photo: Sandeep Saxena.
THIS IS definitely a different bookshop, for the simple reason that here no staff member would object if some customer starts reading a book or newspaper and does it for hours together. Actually, the staffershave standing orders from their owner not to ask anybody to leave the place. Not surprising that is the major reason why this Connaught Place-based Central News Agency (CNA) has remained the favourite place for book and newspaper lovers for the past 60-odd years or so. If CNA got such a special place in the hearts of Delhiites, it is due to the sheer vision of its octogenarian Chairman R.P. Puri. "Due to financial reasons, I had to abandon my studies after matriculation. My plans to do higher studies never became a reality. Perhaps that is why I always tell my staffers to let the genuine reader read books in CNA as long as he wants. I developed this attitude because the poor too have a right to study and love books. It must not become the privilege of the rich," says Puri, who started his career as a newspaper vendor some 65 years ago.
Sharp memory
Though he is well past 80, Puri's memory is razor sharp. He still remembers vividly that he shifted to Delhi in 1937 from Shimla. He was living with his elder brother there. It was he who asked Puri to leave studies and be a newspaper vendor to support the family. His father passed away when he was barely eight. "I was devastated when my brother asked me to do the job instead of going to college. Later, I realised that he was not wrong. I started the job of newspaper vendor in Shimla in 1936. I used to walk more than 40 kilometres daily to distribute the papers. As one can't ride cycles in Shimla, vendors had to do their job on foot." After just one year in Shimla, Puri came to Delhi in 1937. Those were the days when except for `The Statesman', newspapers like `The Hindustan Times', `Veer Arjun', `Daily Milap' used to publish from Naya Bazar. "Those days I used to get up at 3.30 in the morning and go to Mori Gate. There newspapers from Lahore like `The Tribune' and `Civil and Military Gazette' came in vans. After collecting their copies, I collected the copies of Delhi-based papers before coming to CP to finally collect the copies of `The Statesman'. I had one assistant even then. I distributed papers in areas close to India Gate. My assistant covered the Gole Market and Minto Road. I avoided the Gole Market and Minto Road as some of my relatives used to stay in government houses there."
As he tasted success in his work, Puri started selling newspapers and magazines from P block. Recalling those days, he says that with this new venture he was earning well and saving too. In early 40s, Puri took some space in Gondal Press, also in P block.
No looking back
There has been no looking back since then. He became so well known in his field that when India became free, Puri got an order from both President's House and Prime Minister to deliver daily newspapers, which CNA is doing to this date. Year 1953 was the big year for him. Puri started CNA from this very place. And the rest is history. From Radhakrishnan to Indira Gandhi and from Rammanohar Lohia to Khuswant Singh all have visited his place.
Talking about the secret of his success, Puri says that if you are honest to your job, then success won't elude you.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Madurai
Mangalore
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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