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August 14, 1923 – August 23, 2018 |
Eminent journalist and author, human rights activist and life long advocate of the unity and solidarity of the peoples of India and Pakistan, Shri Kuldip Nayar, is no more. He passed away on 23 August 2018, early in the morning. Lok Raj Sangathan expresses its profound grief at his passing away.
Born in Sialkot, in present day Pakistan on August 14, 1923, Kuldip Nayar studied in Lahore. As a college student in the 1940’s, he was drawn into the mounting anti-colonial freedom struggle. Like other members of his generation, he witnessed how the colonialists implemented their plan to smash the unity of the Indian people and drown the freedom struggle in rivers of blood by organising the partition of India. Together with other members of his family, he was forced to migrate into India as a refugee.
The memory of partition and the accompanying communal holocaust haunted Shri Kuldip Nayar throughout his life. He remained a resolute opponent of communalism and communal violence right through his life. He waged a lifelong struggle in defence of peace and unity between the people of India and Pakistan. Every year, on August 14, he would organize a peace meeting at the Wagah Border, irrespective of the state of tension between the governments of the two countries.
Shri Kuldip Nayar took up journalism as his profession. He began his journalistic career writing in Urdu. In a long career spanning seven decades, he earned the reputation of being one of the most reputed journalists of India.
We deeply mourn the loss of Shri Kuldip Nayar, a champion of peoples’ democratic and human rights, who throughout his life, extended his support and solidarity to all those who are fighting for justice. We cherish our long association with Shri Kuldip Nayar, forged in the course of fighting for the human rights of our people, and for people’s empowerment.
Lok Raj Sangathan conveys its heartfelt condolences to all the members of the extended family of Shri Kuldip Nayar.
