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| As a journalist Raina epitomised perseverance, patience | | | ML Kak
Jammu, Oct 24: If there is a term like gentleman journalist J.N.Raina was an epitome of it. I has yet to meet a journalist who like Raina remains calm and cool despite provocation. I had come into contact with him in late 70's when he was the UNI correspondent in Srinagar. Right from my first meeting with him I had found him very hard working, and dedicated to his profession.
As UNI man he had developed vast network of field sources with the result he could get the details of events and incidents on telephone while sitting in his office right from morning till late evening. Invariably his face reflected a soft and sober smile which would change into a frown only when as a News agency man he missed a story.
At times the Government or any other political party would conduct newsmen to a function or to an event in some villages or district headquarters. On their return to Srinagar they would decide to file the news item next day in case they landed in the summer capital late in the evening. There was no disagreement because everybody would not like to sacrifice comfort for duty. It was only J.N.Raina who used to feel uncomfortable.
On many an occasions he would tell me about his discomfort on our decision. However, this arrangement did not work for long when one of our colleagues violated the agreement by filing the story the same evening.
For a man working in a news agency the bosses expect him or her to file something on everything and necessarily not everything on something. Possibly Raina was aware of this rule and that is why he did not want to miss any news item.
Even when he used to file a scoop or two he would never boast of it. He was a decent journalist in the sense that he would not hesitate sharing news with his colleagues. He, however, would not share any item with me. It was not the outcome of any grouse. He would be too glad to share news with late J.N. Sathu, correspondent Daily Telegraph London, and late B.L. Kak who worked for several newspapers. Before sharing the item he used to tell Sathu not to share the news with M.L. Kak.
The reason for this approach was simple. Since I worked for The Tribune, which had circulation in Jammu and Kashmir, a published UNI item in this newspaper would establish Raina's exist ence as a journalist. I accepted this arrangement because I had nothing much to lose.
One day I had come to know that Raina had visited Gulmarg to cover the functioning of the mountain warfare school run by the Army. He shared the story with Sathu with strict instructions that I should not be told about it. When I got the idea about Raina's assignment I tapped my sources to find about mountain warfare activities being carried out by the Army in Pakistan.
I got some details. The Tribune published my story prominently with UNI addition on Gulmarg school. Raina was seen slightly depressed. Had I not sent the story the UNI item would have got a prominent place.
Raina would never shirk from hard work. When Sheikh Abdullah fell ill in 1982 Raina used to sit in his office till late evenings lest he should miss the story. It was on September 8,1982 Raina had filed a scoop announcing that Sheikh Abdullah had passed away. Soon after the UNI circulated the news the state Government got active and started using the Radio for denying the veracity of the item. Raina was asked to withdraw the story which he did. The moment he asked his head office to withdraw the story he fainted in his chair.
Raina was not totally wrong. By the time he had filed the story Sheikh Abdullah was kept on life support after the doctors had declared him clinically dead. This incident speaks volumes about Raina's patience and perseverance as a journalist.
Even after his retirement his columns would be published in many newspapers. He was true to his profession, sincere to his colleagues and a lovable person for his family members. We all shall miss him. May his soul rest in peace. |
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