If I consider my final lap at Kochi in my four-decade-long stint with The Indian Express, it was wholly because of the highly talented team that I was privileged to work with. I had been part of the editorial desk in Mumbai, where I started my career, Delhi and Chennai but I must admit that the one in Kochi stood out.
I should imagine that this was largely because most of them at the Kochi desk did not stray into the profession for want of an opening elsewhere but willingly chose it as a career and hence gave off their best. Rajan was the best example. The resultant commitment was what helped him and others of his ilk in the team to ward off the boredom usually associated with editing long and short copies that landed at regular intervals day in and day out.
Rajan was not one of those run-of-the-mill subs who seldom went beyond dotting the ‘i’s and crossing the ‘t’s. He was not content with correcting mistakes; he made the copies livelier to read. I remember handing over long copies of some of our star reporters with a subtle suggestion that he had better cut them to readable size, a task which he did with extreme care but without offending the usually sensitive writer. At the end of the day, Rajan used to unfailingly cut down stories from say 700/800 words to just 350-400, without losing the essence of what the writer intended to convey.
When we decided to start the Kozhikode edition in the early nineties, we had a problem with getting good, experienced hands. Most of the hands were fresh and inexperienced. Rajan was an automatic choice to head the desk and in no time he moulded the novices into fine professionals. He had a remarkable ability to get along with anyone and everyone without being overly solicitous. He was firm when firmness was needed. He was accommodative when the occasion needed.
Rajan had a wide circle of friends with varied interests. He was at his best with an occasional sun downer and I for one never missed a chance to be with him on such occasions. He was a keen student of drama, having been a member of a drama troupe in his native Valapad. We shared our interest in percussions and he used to regale us with juicy stories of some of the stalwarts in the field. Thrissur Pooram was his major weakness and he would never ever miss it. Once I had joined him and much as I liked roaming around with him my energy soon gave away, I could hardly keep pace with Rajan and gave up.
Rajan was a voracious reader and our shared interest in books led to numerous engaging sessions which I fondly remember. He was one of the few who religiously returned books after reading. In fact, Rajan had promised to come over to my place today with a book that interested him. That was perhaps the only promise he failed to fulfil. I will truly miss him.
M K Das
Former Resident Editor