Thayil Jacob Sony George, the famed journalist known simply as TJS, passed away at the age of 97 in Bengaluru on Friday.
TJS began his career in 1950 at The Free Press Journal in India's Maximum City known then as Bombay.
He went on to work with The Searchlight, the International Press Institute and the Far Eastern Economic Review before becoming the founding editor of Asiaweek, published from Hong Kong.
At Searchlight, TJS became the first Indian editor to be charged with sedition in India. When he was arrested for his columns against then Bihar Chief Minister KB Sahay, the former Defence Minister of India, VK Krishna Menon, rushed down to Patna to defend him.
TJS did not take a backward step during the rest of his career too, never flinching from speaking truth to power.
As Asiaweek founding editor, he drew the ire of many of Southeast Asia's rulers with the trenchant articles that were published in his magazine.
In his final column, TJS explained how he saw it.
"Some of us feel that we should not criticise our own country. Some feel exactly the other way — that a big country like ours needs to be cautioned all the way about pitfalls. All arguments have their own supporters and their own critics, their own validities and their own drawbacks. But there is something not right if a country and its rulers start feeling that they should not be criticised at all — and especially by newspaperwallahs," he wrote.
That indomitable courage of his will remain his most enduring legacy. It was backed by an ability to say what he had to with an Ernest Hemingwayesque simplicity that got the message across elegantly and in the sharpest manner possible.
During his long association with The New Indian Express, TJS famously contributed 1300 columns for 25 years before laying down his pen on June 12, 2022 with Now is the time to say Goodbye.
A Padma Bhushan awardee, TJS was was born on May 7, 1928, as the fourth child of Thayil Thomas Jacob, a magistrate, and his wife Chachiamma Jacob. He went on to graduate from the Madras Christian College with an honours in English Literature before embarking on his journalistic career.
Besides his journalism, he also authored many well-received books including Krishna Menon, The Life and Times of Nargis, Lessons in Journalism – The Story of Pothan Joseph, MS: A Life in Music, Askew: A Short Biography of Bangalore and The Dismantling Of India. Ghoshayatra, Ottayan and Malayilude Swathu: Basheer Muthal Mohanlal Vare are his Malayalam books.
His was also the vision that brought to life the esteemed Asian College of Journalism, which began life in The New Indian Express' Bengaluru buildings with the goal of giving India well-trained journalists and continues to thrive in Chennai.
As his late famous contemporary and friend BRP Bhaskar once observed few mediapersons experienced the romance of journalism in as great a measure as TJS.
Rest in Peace, Sir!