- Gopal Raju
Gopal Raju (
January 3 ,1928 -April 10 ,2008 ) was anIndia n-born Americanpublisher ,editor ,journalist ,businessman andphilanthropist . He was considered to be a pioneer ofIndian American ethnic media in theUnited States .Early life
Gopal Raju was born in the city of
Bangalore , India. cite news |first=|last=|title=Ethnic Indian media pioneer Gopal Raju dead|url=http://indiapost.com/article/usnews/2524/ |work=India Post |publisher= |date=2008-04-13 |accessdate=2008-05-04] He first moved to the United States in 1950. cite news |first=Michel W. |last=Potts |title=Pioneer Publisher Gopal Raju Dies |url=http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?subaction=showfull&id=1208385444&archive=&start_from=&ucat=11 |work=India-West |publisher= |date=|accessdate=2008-05-04] He initially found work in several different industries, including running arestaurant andtravel agency , before setting his sights on becoming apublisher .Career
Raju launched the first successful Indian newspaper in the U.S.,
India Abroad , in 1970. cite news |first= |last=|title=Pioneering publisher Gopal Raju passes away
url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/10mrraju.htm |work=India Abroad |publisher= |date=2008-04-10|accessdate=2008-05-04] cite news |first=|last=|title=Veteran journalist Gopal Raju passes away |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200804102001.htm |work=The Hindu |publisher= |date=2008-04-10 |accessdate=2008-05-03] The India Abroad newspaper refers to itself as the "oldest Indian newspaper published inNorth America ." The newspaper quickly became an influential voice for the growing Indian American community in the United States. Raju's India Abroad was considered to be an important milestone for the growth of ethnic media in the U.S and one of the most credible Indian American publications.The Economist , a respected British weeklyinternational affairs magazine , once referred to Raju's "India Abroad" as a daily publication of “unusually high quality”.In 1997, Raju held talks to merger India Abroad with
India-West , an ethnicIndian American newspaper published inCalifornia . Raju and India-West publisher,Ramesh Murarka , went as far a jointly purchasing a building inSan Leandro, California , to house the offices of the proposed, combined newspaper. Under the proposal, the existing India Abroad offices would have become the East Coast offices of the new newspaper, while the offices of Inida-West in California would have become the West Coast headquarters of the publication. However, in the end Raju and Murarka decided to abandon the proposed merger of the publications. Raju later sold India Abroad in April 2001 toRediff.com , which currently owns and operates the newspaper.Raju also founded the India Abroad News Service, which was later renamed the
Indo-Asian News Service (IANS).The IANS, which is headquartered inNew Dehli , focuses its reporting on issues affectingIndia ,South Asia and the Indian diapora around the world. cite news |first=|last=|title=Obituaries in the news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/12/america/Deaths.php |work=Associated Press |publisher=International Herald Tribune |date=2008-04-12 |accessdate=2008-05-03] cite news |first=|last=|title=Gopal Raju, pioneer in Indian ethnic press, dies in NY |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/12/apworld/20080412090428&sec=apworld |work=Associated Press |publisher=Malaysia Star |date=2008-04-12 |accessdate=2008-05-03]Raju remained invloved with the Indian American media following his sale of India Abroad to Rediff.com in 2001. He began publishing several
weekly newspaper s in the United States, including theNews India Times , theGujarat Times andDesi Talk . Raju remained the publisher of these three weekly publications until his death in 2008.Philanthropy
Additionally, Raju established and promoted several
nonprofit ,philanthropic organizations outside of the realm ofpublishing and media.He founded the
Indian American Foundation (IAF) during the 1970s. The IAF has raised millions ofUS dollars to fundmedical ,educational ,development anddisaster relief projects in India. Funds raised by the IAF have been used to rebuild homes and businesses following the Latur earthquake, which struck the Indian state ofMaharashtra in 1993, as well as the2001 Gujarat earthquake . Raju went on to later establish the Indian American Center for Political Action (IACPA) in 1993. The IACPA placesIndian American students ininternships within the offices of members of theUnited States House of Representatives and theUnited States Senate inWashington D.C. The IACPA, under Raju, has placed approximately 200 Indian Americanintern s onCapitol Hill to date. Raju also ran the India Abroad Fellowship Program atColumbia University for several years.Keeping in view the increasing population of North Indian and the need of Punjabi Newspaper, he started publishing Punjabi Newspaper Sher-e-Panjab. After successfully running 7-8 years he sold it to one of his employee with a commitment to continue this Punjabi Newspaper, which is still alive.
Honors
Gopal Raju received several awards and recognitions during his career. In the U.S., Raju was honored with the Leadership Award from the
Asia Society in 2000. He was also given theEllis Island Award in 2004. The Ellis Island Award recognizes the contributions of immigrants to the United States. TheTaraknath Das Foundation , which is headquartered in the United States, bestowed its annual award on Raju in 2006.Former
President of India ,A.P.J. Abdul Kalam , conferred thePravasi Bharatiya Samman on Raju in 2007 for his contributions in the media to India and the Indian diaspora. cite news |first= |last=|title=Gopal Raju, pioneer of ethnic Indian media in US, is no more |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/gopal-raju-pioneer-of-ethnic-indian-media-in-us-is-no-more_10036485.html |work=IANS |publisher=Thaindian News |date=2008-04-10|accessdate=2008-05-04]Death
Gopal Raju died at the age of 80 at a hospital in
New York City onApril 10 ,2008 . He had been hospitalized for about a week for the treatment ofjaundice and is believed to have died from complications of the disease.Tributes poured in from friends and colleagues. Former
Prime Minister of India Inder Kumar Gujral stated, "He was a institution and also the most significant bridge between India and America."Sreenath Sreenivasan , the currentdean of students at theColumbia University School of Journalism, also paid tribute to Raju saying, "Raju paved the way for every Indian journalist working in the US today. He was also tremendously supportive of SAJA (South Asian Journalists Association) and my own work."Raju was once quoted as saying, "My job is to publish a quality newspaper and not to project myself."
References
External links
* [http://www.newsindia-times.com/ News India Times]
* [http://www.gujarattimes.com/ Gujarat Times]
* [http://www.hinduyouth.net/ Hindu Youth Network - Canada]
* [http://www.desitalk.com/ Desi Talk]
* [http://www.ians.in/ Indo-Asian News Service]
* [http://www.indiaabroad.com/ India Abroad]
* [http://www.aifoundation.org/ Indian American Foundation]
* [http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?subaction=showfull&id=1208385444&archive=&start_from=&ucat=11 Indiawest Online: Pioneer Publisher Gopal Raju Dies]
* [http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/gopal-raju-pioneer-of-ethnic-indian-media-in-us-is-no-more_10036485.html Thaindian News: Gopal Raju, pioneer of ethnic Indian media in US, is no more]
* [http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/gopal-rajus-legacy-remembered-in-virtual-memorial_10038061.html Thaindian News: Gopal Raju’s legacy remembered in virtual memorial]
* [http://indiapost.com/article/usnews/2524/ India Post: Ethnic Indian media pioneer Gopal Raju dead]
* [http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/04/obit-gopal-raju.html Gopal Raju's Passing: dozens of tributes and comments] SAJAforum.org collection.
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