TRIBUTE PAID TO G.KASTURI, THE FORMER EDITOR OF THE HINDU

TRIBUTE PAID TO G.KASTURI,

THE FORMER EDITOR OF THE HINDU

G. Kasturi, former Editor of The Hindu and former Managing Director of Kasturi & Sons Limited, proprietors of The Hindu Group publications, died early on Friday21st September,2012 at his home. He was 87. Mr. Kasturi presided over a phase of rapid technological and editorial transformation at The Hindu . He led from the front the newspaper’s expansion and modernisation from the 1960s through to the cusp of the 1990s.The end came peacefully at 2 a.m. on Friday, September 21. He had been unwell for some time, but was alert and active till the last.He died surrounded by his loved ones.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Kamala, sons K. Balaji and K. Venugopal, daughter Lakshmi Srinath, and five granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.Mr. Balaji, Mr. Venugopal and Ms. Lakshmi Srinath are Directors of Kasturi & Sons Limited.The cremation took place on Friday afternoon at the Krishnampet crematorium in Triplicane, Chennai.The news of his passing was received with shock and anguish at The Hindu ’s offices in Chennai and other centres.All morning, hundreds of people gathered at his home to pay their respects. A steady stream of mourners, including his well-wishers, professional associates, and former and present employees of The Hindu group of publications, paid tributes.The body was kept in the study room of his home where he spent most of his time working on his iMac on technical aspects of newspaper production virtually till the end. Kasturi Buildings on Anna Salai wore a pall of gloom. A sombre mood prevailed in the offices of the organisation elsewhere in the country.

The second son of Kasturi Gopalan, Mr. Kasturi was Editor of The Hindu from September 1965 to January 1991 — for more than 25 years, a period that saw the newspaper take important steps towards modernisation on the editorial, technological and production fronts.His was the longest tenure for an Editor of the newspaper, which turned 134 years on September 20, 2012. Born on December 17, 1924, he studied at Chennai’s P.S. High School, after which he joined Presidency College. Upon acquiring an M.A. degree in Economics from Madras University, he joinedThe Hindu in 1944.In 1959, he was designated Joint Editor.

One of the first leaders to call in with his personal condolences was Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is currently visiting India.A wide range of dignitaries sent in condolence messages. They included Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu.Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, and Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy expressed their condolences. In Bangalore, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda expressed his grief.

Prof. John Kurakar