KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, May 12: In journalism, a cardinal rule of death writing is that you must talk to the family and friends — you cannot rely on social media posts or online reports which are coming to you in a hasty manner.
Writing these lines on the demise of Tanveer-ul-Ahad, Editor-in-Chief of English new agency GNS, is one of the toughest times for young journalists of Kashmir Despatch newspaper whose fingers shiver because of the sudden death of a close colleague and a member of the fraternity.
They do not muster the courage to interview distraught loved ones and grieving friends and family members of Tanveer which is a hard but necessary part of their job — and something they are used to.
As the principles of journalism suggest that best sources for stories about death are immediate family — spouses, children, parents. Start there and move outward toward siblings, friends, cousins and coworkers. But in this case, Tanveer was so much loved by his colleagues that they hardly can express their own sentiments not to talk of fetching opinions from the members of the bereaved family.
For me, a brief conversation with Tanveer, probably the second time in his entire journalistic career, proved that he was an epitome of nobility, decency and graciousness. Last time I called him was to enquire about the veracity of a news item mailed by his news agency regarding COVID figures in a local factory. That brief telephonic chat still echoes in my mind, reminding his flexibility and openness to corrections. He had also promised me that he would come to my office in few days to discuss some important issues. But as the adage goes, ‘death keeps no calendar’.
The demise of this young journalist has not only created a void in his family, friends and acquaintances but particularly among his fraternity who would always remember him as a calm and composed colleague who dared to call a spade a spade.
May Allah Almighty grant you highest place in Jannat. (Ameen)
(Editor)
Kashmir Despatch
