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| Sodhi skipped life’s last breakfast to attain martyrdom | | OBITUARY | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | May 11
When the news flashed out early this morning that senior photojournalist Ashok Sodhi has been killed in Samba encounter, many could not believe for Sodhi was usually a late riser and it was unexpected having him there so early in the morning. It was perhaps the last call which took Sodhi away, not only away to Samba but far away and for ever.
Ashok Sodhi’s name, unfortunately, is now in the list of among some 20 journalists who lost their lives while discharging their professional duties in the field or in their offices in nearly two decades of turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir.
The happy-go-marry kind of Sodhi died as a martyr fighting his professional duty more like a soldier. He is survived by a daughter, around 16 years old, and wife.
Sodhi’s death has come as a massive shock for media fraternity in Jammu as every journalist took it as a personal loss. Thousands of people joining his cremation at the Jogi Gate crematorium reflected the amount of goodwill Sodhi enjoyed among a cross section of society.
A Chief Photographer with the English newspaper Daily Excelsior, Sodhi needs no introduction. He was literally a friend of the friends. Aged around 44 years, Sodhi had joined the Daily Excelsior as a proof reader in 1982 and later switched over his stream to photojournalism. Till his last breath, his loyalties remained with the organization he had joined 22 years back. He was one of the only two or three best known still photographers in Jammu.
Colleagues who accompanied Sodhi this morning from here to Samba said that it was quite unusual seeing him so eager to cover the encounter. While Sodhi was about brush up his teeth his mother was preparing breakfast for him when he heard about the incident. He deferred brushing up teeth and instead took the toothbrush along as also the packet of breakfast to have it after discharging his professional duty. Such was his commitment with the profession.
Though he brushed up teeth on the way but Sodhi could not have the last breakfast of his life. While covering the encounter in the embattled Samba village, Sodhi got a gun shot in his forehead. Colleagues made haste to rush him to the hospital but unfortunately Sodhi could not survive.
Hundreds of peoples, parties and organizations have condoled demise of Sodhi. Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd) S. K. Sinha expressed deep grief and shock on the tragic death of. Ashok Sodhi. In a message to the staff and management of the Daily Excelsior and the bereaved family, Gen. Sinha expressed deep sympathies and said the commitment of the young journalist will be remembered for ever.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed profound shock and grief over the tragic death of Sodhi. The Chief Minister spoke to the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Excelsior, S. D. Rohmetra on phone and expressed his heartfelt condolences on the demise of Mr. Sodhi. He conveyed his sympathies to Mr. Rohmetra and the bereaved family of Mr. Sodhi and said that he shared their grief.
Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig has also expressed grief over the tragic death of photo journalist. In a condolence message, Mr. Baig conveyed the condolence to the bereaved family and said that the professional commitment of Mr. Sodhi will always be remembered and serves as an inspiration budding photo journalists. He prayed for the eternal peace to the departed soul.
Minister for Health and Medical Education Pt. Mangat Ram Sharma has expressed grief and shock over Sodhi’s tragic death. He said that the professional commitment of Mr. Sodhi will always be remembered and serves as an inspiration budding photo journalist.
Meanwhile, the officers and staff of the Department of Information and Public Relations have expressed their extreme grief over the tragic death of Sodhi.
In this connection, a condolence meeting was held in the Directorate of Information here under the chairmanship of Director Information, Mr. Zaffar Ahmad.
The Director Information also spoke to the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Excelsior, Mr. S. D. Rohmetra and expressed his shock over the death of Mr. Ashok Sodhi. He also conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family of Mr. Sodhi and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul. A two-minute silence was also observed as a mark of respect to the departed soul.
Similar condolence meetings were also held at all the divisional, district and tehsil offices and other bureaux of the Information Department to pay homage to Mr. Sodhi.
Minister for Industries and Commerce Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for CAPD Mr. Taj Mohi-ud-Din. Minister for Rural development Mr. Mula Ram, Minister for Higher Education Gulchain Singh Charak, Minister for Roads and Buildings Mr. Jugal Kishore Sharma, Minister of State for Power Mr. Babu Singh, Minister of State for CAPD S. Manjit Singh and Minister of State for Health Peer Mohammad Hussain have expressed grief over the killing of the photojournalist.
Director General of Police Mr. Kuldeep Khoda has expressed grief over the tragic death of photo journalist of "Daily Excelsior" Mr. Ashok Sodhi who was killed in a firing incident at Kehli Mandi Samba.
In a condolence message, Mr. Khoda conveyed the condolence to the bereaved family and said that the professional commitment of Mr. Sodhi will always be remembered and serves as an inspiration budding photo journalists. He prayed for the eternal peace to the departed soul. |
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