Gopinath, Who Served 6 Decades As Journalist, Dies At 88

Veteran journalist Gopinath, who had covered the first general elections in India and had interviewed Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, died in Chennai on Saturday. He was 88.

Gopinath began his over six-decade long journey in journalism at a time when being a scribe did not come with the glamour quotient but required pure-unadulterated dedication towards the job. Yet, it is no mean feat that he did it dedicatedly for over six decades and lived a life rubbing shoulders with the who's who of past and the present generation.

Gopinath covered the first Indian general elections of 1951-52 and remained active till the recently-concluded 17th Lok Sabha elections, sharing his insights and observations.

Never been the news but the quintessential agency journalist was always on his toes, taking notes and recording stuff, during the most newsworthy moments. For ever, he witnessed the glorious India story unfolding in front of his eyes.

In a picture from the past, he can be seen completely immersed in jotting down notes, standing behind India's second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shashtri.

A journalist with old world demeanour and a political sharpness that could be the envy of the most seasoned politicians, Gopinath covered the key events from the times of Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Gulzari Lal Nanda and also witnessed the ups and downs of politics in many southern.

A golden round watch on the left hand, black heavy frame spectacles, tiny unkempt hair and ability to maintain concentration during the most turbulent times were the traits of one of the longest-serving journalists of Independent India who had covered the political upheavals in the whole country but always maintained Chennai as his base.

He was associated with news agency ANI for the last three decades and helped the agency expand its base in southern India.

Gopinath not only covered the key national events but also had the opportunity to see world politics change. From the rise and fall of communism in many countries to the expansion of democracies, Gopinath witnessed it all, often having a front-seat view of the most important national and global events.

He was the first Indian journalist who interviewed Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara and the long-serving communist leader of the country Fidel Castro.

Gopinath was one among the few longest serving professionals who dedicated themselves to the field of journalism, purely driven by the people-centric aspect of this fourth pillar of democracy.

An intellectual and a journalist without parallel, he trained many, inspired many more and his death has left a void in the field of journalism which will be hard to fill.