From our Correspondent

SILCHAR, July 29: In order to pay homage to the late veteran journalist Jatin Debroy, Managing Director and Editor of the Dainik Gati, a Silchar based newspaper, who passed away after his prolonged illness on July 21 at around 1pm at his residence at Itkhola, the Silchar Press Club organized a condolence meeting in the club premises in Silchar on Sunday.

Paritosh Paul Chowdhury, a social worker, reminisced his close days with the late journalist. He said that he had worked in Gati for nearly six years long. “Jatin Debroy was one of my good friends. I have seen him closely as I did work in the newspaper for six years. He was an amazing personality,” Paul Chowdhury said.

Pijush Kanti Das, a scribe, said that in 1980s when a series of movements took place in the Barak Valley on different issues, the Gati had played a prominent role. Rupam Nandi Purkayastha, former president of All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students Association (ACKHSA) said that the late journalist had played an important role in the establishment of the Assam University as he published different news as to the movement in his paper of that time.

Expressing his grief over the demise of the well known journalist, Bijoy Krishna Nath, proprietor and owner of the Dainik Jugashankha Group of Publication, recalled his past days and said that he had lost one of his friends and brothers. “We used to travel together across the Valley for gathering news. He was like one of the members of my family,” Nath added. He also pointed that the late journalist was very diligent as he used to do everything alone.

Late Debroy had started the Gati as a weekly around 40 years back and later it became a daily. He was also engaged to the news agency PTI. Notably, Jatin Debroy was the member of Northeast Newspaper Society (NNS), Guwahati too. He is survived by his wife Niva Debroy, two daughters Mitra Bose and Mita Paul and one son Joy Debroy.

Sankar Dey, secretary of the Press Club expressed his deep sorrow and said that Debroy was a man of principle and discipline. Dey remembered his days with the late scribe and cited various examples of his work. He pointed out that Debroy changed the mindset of journalists of Barak Valley and ushered in a fundamental change in the profession of journalism in the Valley. He further informed that the Press Club would organize Jatin Debroy memorial lecture every year on July 21.

All the speakers expressed their deep shock and condoled his sudden demise. They prayed to the Almighty for eternal peace of the departed soul. They also conveyed their condolence to the bereaved family members.

Among others who spoke at the meeting included Mahua Chowdhury, vice president of the Press Club, Biswajit Gupta, Ashim Dutta, Sanjib Roy, Dilip Singh, Nayan Basu, son-in-law of the late journalist.