TJS George, a prominent journalist, author, and Padma Bhushan award winner, passed away on Friday at a private hospital in Bengaluru. The 97-year-old wrote with razor-sharp wit and satire throughout his life.
A Legacy Of Acerbic And Satirical Writing
George was a revered figure for his incisive and cutting writings, always using a touch of sarcasm and satire. He was the Editorial Advisor of The New Indian Express and well-liked for his long-running weekly column, Point of View, which he wrote all 25 years until 2022 – he continued writing it to the age of 94.
Early Life And Career
George was born on May 7, 1928, in Kerala to Magistrate T T Jacob and Chachi Amma Jacob. He spent over half a century in journalism within and outside India. His first journalistic role was in 1950 at the Free Press Journal in Bombay, after which he worked with the International Press Institute, The Searchlight, and the Far Eastern Economic Review. He was also the founding editor of Asiaweek, a Hong Kong-based publication.
He has the distinction of being the first editor in independent India to be jailed for practicing freedom of expression for an article that appeared in The Searchlight in Patna – which was a case argued by Defence Minister V K Krishna Menon.
Literary Contributions
He wrote around 20 books in English and Malayalam, including Biographies of V K Krishna Menon, M S Subbulakshmi, Nargis, Pothan Joseph and Lee Kuay Yew, and his memoir Ghoshayathra (The Procession). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2011 and the Swadeshabhimani Award in 2017.
Political Leaders Mourn
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah shared on X, “Deeply saddened by the demise of TJS George, veteran journalist, editor & author. For over 60 years, he contributed to Indian journalism with his sharp pen and unyielding voice. My heartfelt condolences to the family, his colleagues and his numerous followers.”
Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy also paid tribute to George, recalling his Point of View column and his book MS – A Life in Music. Karnataka’s deputy chief minister, D K Shivakumar and Congress national general secretary, KC Venugopal visited George’s home to pay their respects.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called George “a distinguished journalist, editor, author and public intellectual who turned his role as an editor into a significant chapter in Indian media history.” Vijayan also noted George’s unwavering devotion to democratic principles, and that at the time of the Emergency, he was a fearsome supporter of liberal journalism.
