Gopal Raju: An Appreciation By Pranay Gupte I never believed that Herman Gopal Raju – that was indeed his full name – would ever age. The last time we met in New York, about a year ago, we dined at an Indian restaurant near Columbus Circle. Allen E. Kaye, the well-known immigration lawyer, had joined us. I had introduced Allen to Gopal nearly four decades ago, when all of us were very much younger. Allen subsequently became a columnist for India Abroad, the newspaper that G...

I belong to a formidable list called "Gulf 2000" (G2K), whose members include well-known academicians, diplomats, policy-makers, journalists, lawyers, and others. The membership -- which is by invitation -- focuses on Middle East issues, but primarily those relating to the Persian Gulf region, and on American foreign policy concerning that region. Recently, the administrator of G2K, Professor Gary G. Sick of Columbia University, was critical of a posting on the Web site of the highly influ...

The legend of M. S. Subbulakshmi (published in the International Herald Tribune, December 16, 2004) By Pranay Gupte She was known as the "nightingale of India," but that scarcely captured what Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi -- who died on Saturday at the age of 88 -- was all about. Known widely as just "M.S.," she was the greatest singer of Carnatic music, the South Indian genre that's considered to be one of the oldest systems of devotional music in the world. Subbulakshmi was mo...

By Pranay Gupte You have only one constituency in journalism: your readers. Never forget who signs your paycheck: Your publisher. It is his newspaper. A journalist is, above all, a story-teller. Write simply and clearly. Use verbs liberally. Use adjectives sparingly. Don't just tell: show and tell. Use short sentences. Make that extra phone call on your story before you write it. Read your own story before sending it to your editors. Journalism should ...

Dear Zak: Thanks for your gracious and thoughtful letter. I was quite touched by your sentiments concerning journalism, and I hope that you will be able to adhere to your values upon your return to Singapore. You write very eloquently indeed, and I will treasure your note for its substance, sentiments and sheer structure. As you must know by now, surely, all news organizations respond to the tone and track record of their leadership. As long as bureaucrats and internal-security appara...