KOCHI: The venue was The WEEK’s annual conference. That time, Tamil Nadu politics was going through lots of churning due to the illness of the then-chief minister J Jayalalitha. Correspondents from other states asked the Tamil Nadu correspondent how is she able to cope with the high-voltage drama that was happening there.
Sachi Sir, who overheard this conversation, commented: “These are the moments when a journalist comes alive... Moments where one feels proud of being a journalist.”
That was Sachidananda Murthy. News always excited him. It was a case of more the merrier for him. He loved being in the midst of chaos and excelled in it. Being a reporter-turned-editor, he always had his ears close to the ground. He knew things better than most beat correspondents. Whether it is politics, finance, or defence, he had sources all over. Naturally, he was someone no reporter could bluff to. I have personally witnessed many journalists at the receiving end of Sachi Sir’s sharp wit and sarcasm. But there was no bad blood as all knew he meant only good. He was a great mentor, always willing to guide.
Sachi Sir was also the life of office parties. He loved his drinks and would be happy to see if others too shared the same love. It was in those moments that the ‘shaayar’ in him would come out. He would hum old Bollywood melodies with abandon. And he always had good listeners. Even when his health was failing him and he had great difficulty in walking, his passion for life and journalism was awe-inspiring. As juniors, one could only hope and aspire that we, too, had the same energy and drive as he did. You will be dearly missed, Sachi Sir.
Veteran scribe no more
Journalist KS Sachidananda Murthy, 68, died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Friday. Murthy, popularly known as ‘Sachi’, had worked as the Resident Editor of The Week magazine of the Malayala Manorama group. Before joining The Week as a correspondent, he had worked with Indian Express in Bengaluru. He was with the Malayala Manorama Group till his retirement in 2022.