Remembering the Pioneer of Hindi Journalism in Jammu on His 99th Birth Anniversary
By Ravi Rohmetra
Duggar is the land of warriors, writers, poets, scholars, intellectuals and journalists. Many of its illustrious sons and daughters have brought laurels to their motherland and raised its glory to Himalayan heights. Among them was Lala Gopal Sachar, a towering figure in the field of journalism.
Lala Gopal Sachar, a veteran and legendary journalist, was the Jammu representative of the Hind Samachar Group of Newspapers and proprietor of The Sachar News, Jammu. He was born on 17 July 1927 at Bhalwal Brahmana in Jammu. Born in a remote and backward village, he had to study in three different schools before passing his matriculation examination. He later joined Prince of Wales College, Jammu, but could not complete his graduation because of the Partition of India and the subsequent Pakistani invasion, which rendered his family homeless.
In 1949, following the arrest of Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, he started an underground Urdu news bulletin titled “Akashbani.” For publishing it, he was arrested and subjected to severe torture, suffering a fracture in his right leg. Subsequently, he joined the local Urdu weekly “Gulab.”
With the launch of the agitation for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India in 1952, he once again began publishing underground news bulletins—”Akashbani” in Urdu and “Lok Bani” in Hindi. This led to his re-arrest, and he remained in custody until his release in July 1953.
Lala Gopal Sachar also served as Publicity Secretary to the late Pandit Prem Nath Dogra for nearly two decades. During this period, he edited three Urdu weeklies—Swadeshi, Jai Swadesh, and Deepak. He also worked as a correspondent for several prominent newspapers and news organisations, including Prabhat, Pradeep, Jan Pradeep (Jalandhar), Current Weekly (Bombay), Dinman (Delhi), Daily Motherland, Hindustan Samachar News Agency, and several other publications.
Widely respected in journalistic, political, administrative and public circles, Lala Gopal Sachar remained associated with the Hind Samachar Group for several decades. He earned immense respect for his fearless, unbiased and principled journalism. His reporting on Jammu and Kashmir for national newspapers was marked by accuracy, courage and deep commitment to national interest.
Lala Gopal Sachar passed away on 14 November 2022 at his residence in Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, at the age of 95. His demise was a great loss to the world of journalism. He was among the founding Bureau Chiefs of the Hind Samachar Group in Jammu and represented a fearless patriotic voice that never bowed before governments, pressure groups or separatist elements.
A thorough professional, a self-respecting individual and an exceptional human being, Gopal Sachar remained active in journalism, contributing news reports and analytical articles until only a few months before his passing. His death marked the end of an era in Jammu’s journalistic history.
Lala Gopal Sachar will always be remembered as a gentleman who endeared himself to countless people through his simplicity, affable nature, integrity and forward-looking vision. For nearly six decades, he dominated the journalistic landscape of Jammu with remarkable dignity, professionalism and grace.
Although Sachar Sahib is no longer with us, his lifelong dedication to journalism and selfless service to society will continue to inspire generations. His legacy lives on, and his name will forever remain etched in the hearts of those who value fearless and principled journalism.
(Ravi Rohmetra is a Social Worker & a freelance writer and he can be reached at Ph. : 9419652999)
