Gopal Raju
Gopal Raju | |
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Born | Bengaluru, British India | January 3, 1928
Died | April 10, 2008 New York City, New York, U.S. | (aged 80)
Occupations |
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Gopal Raju (3 January 1928 – 10 April 2008) was an Indian-born American publisher,
Career
Raju launched the first successful Indian newspaper in the US, India Abroad, in 1970.[1][2][3] The India Abroad newspaper refers to itself as the "oldest Indian newspaper published in North America."[4] The newspaper quickly became an influential voice for the growing Indian American community in the United States.[1] Raju's India Abroad was considered to be an important milestone for the growth of ethnic media in the U.S and one of the most credible Indian American publications.[1][5] The Economist, a respected British weekly international affairs magazine, once referred to Raju's India Abroad as a daily publication of "unusually high quality".[3][5]
In 1997, Raju held talks to merger India Abroad with India-West, an ethnic
Raju also founded the India Abroad News Service, which was later renamed the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS).[1] The IANS, which is headquartered in
Raju remained involved with the Indian American media following his sale of India Abroad to Rediff.com in 2001.[1] He began publishing several weekly newspapers in the United States, including the News India Times, the Gujarat Times and Desi Talk.
In 2006, Raju held discussions and agreed to a merger and alignment of News India Times, Desi Talk operations with South Asian Insider, a weekly newspaper run by Sharanjit Singh Thind. Thind is a self made media owner, who started his career in US with India Abroad as Marketing Manager and later formed NuWay Group, a media company. There was also an agreement between Mr. Raju and Thind to buy the whole News India Times Group later if Thind wishes. The agreement was short lived and never fully materialized because of overall declining Print market and respective papers.[1][2][4] Raju remained the publisher of these three weekly publications until his death in 2008.[5]
Philanthropy
Additionally, Raju established and promoted several nonprofit, philanthropic organisations outside of the realm of publishing and media.
He founded the
Keeping in view the increasing population of North Indian and the need of Punjabi Newspaper, he started publishing Punjabi Newspaper Sher-e-Panjab. After successfully running 7–8 years he sold it to one of his employee with a commitment to continue this Punjabi Newspaper, which is still alive.
Honors
Gopal Raju received several awards and recognitions during his career. In the US, Raju was honoured with the Leadership Award from the Asia Society in 2000.[3] He was also given the Ellis Island Award in 2004.[3] The Ellis Island Award recognises the contributions of immigrants to the United States.[3] The Taraknath Das Foundation, which is headquartered in the United States, bestowed its annual award on Raju in 2006.[3] He was inducted into the South Asian Journalists Association's Hall of Fame in 2008.
Former
Death
Gopal Raju died at the age of 80 at a hospital in New York City on 10 April 2008.[2][4][6] He had been hospitalised for about a week for the treatment of jaundice and is believed to have died from complications of the disease.[2][3]
Tributes poured in from friends and colleagues. Former
Raju was once quoted as saying, "My job is to publish a quality newspaper and not to project myself."[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Pioneering publisher Gopal Raju passes away". India Abroad. 10 April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Veteran journalist Gopal Raju passes away". The Hindu. 10 April 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Potts, Michel W. "Pioneer Publisher Gopal Raju Dies". India-West. Archived from the original on 29 June 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f "Obituaries in the news". International Herald Tribune. Paris. Associated Press. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e "Gopal Raju, pioneer of ethnic Indian media in US, is no more". IANS. Thaindian News. 10 April 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Gopal Raju, pioneer in Indian ethnic press, dies in NY". The Star. Kuala Lumpur. Associated Press. 12 April 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
External links
- http://www.thesouthasian.info
- News India Times
- Gujarat Times
- Hindu Youth Network – Canada
- Desi Talk
- Indo-Asian News Service
- India Abroad
- Indian American Foundation
- Indiawest Online: Pioneer Publisher Gopal Raju Dies
- Thaindian News: Gopal Raju, pioneer of ethnic Indian media in US, is no more Archived 2 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- Thaindian News: Gopal Raju’s legacy remembered in virtual memorial
- India Post: Ethnic Indian media pioneer Gopal Raju dead
- Gopal Raju's Passing: dozens of tributes and comments SAJAforum.org collection.