I received a WhatsApp message from Guwahati-based senior journalist Amal Gupta, requesting me to write an obituary. He shared a photograph of the departed along with the name. I replied that while I was aware of the personality, I had not had the good fortune of knowing him personally. I humbly suggested that it might be more appropriate for someone who had worked closely with him, or had been in regular touch, to write the obituary.
As a matter of principle, I usually write tributes only for those I have known personally, or at least had the opportunity to meet and be influenced by. Over the years, I have written obituary pieces on several distinguished personalities, including M. S. Swaminathan—the father of India’s Green Revolution—renowned journalist Pritish Nandy, and former Union Minister Kabindra Purkayastha. I have also paid tribute to Santana Gupta, the wife of Amal Gupta, and Professor Partha Sarathi Chanda, an eminent educationist from Assam’s Barak Valley. I recall writing a heartfelt tribute to Barun Dasgupta, a respected journalist who served as The Hindu’s Special Correspondent in the 1990s.
However, after my initial response, I paused to reconsider. I asked myself whether I could still write an obituary for someone I had never met—as a mark of respect from a fellow member of the journalistic fraternity. This thought resonated deeply, for journalism is not just my profession; it is also a source of pride and identity.
I had long been aware of this gentleman, who served as the editor of a Bengali daily published by a leading English newspaper group in the Northeast. The newspaper was brought out from Guwahati, the region’s media hub. Editing a newspaper is always a demanding responsibility, but doing so in Bengali in a linguistically sensitive region like Assam, particularly in earlier decades, required exceptional skill, balance, and courage.
My experience in journalism has taught me that while the credit for a publication often goes to the reporting and editorial teams, the burden of accountability ultimately rests with the Editor—whose name appears in the print line. In a region where language sensitivities run deep, an editor must possess not only professional competence but also the wisdom to uphold objectivity, maintain neutrality, and foster the spirit of linguistic harmony and national integration.
Though I never had the opportunity to meet him, I had known of his work even before I entered journalism nearly three decades ago. That in itself speaks volumes about his stature and influence.
Today, I pay my humble respects to the departed editor—a multifaceted and intellectually rich personality who made a meaningful contribution to the media landscape of Guwahati and the Northeast. I pray to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to his soul.
The photograph sent by Amal da was of Sri Sukumar Bagchi—an individual who, indeed, needs no introduction.
