It is nine years since on this day, July 5 – our venerated father and founder Editor of Excelsior S. D. Rohmetra left for his heavenly abode. On this occasion, we pay our reverential homage to him who, while leaving behind a rich legacy of highest traditions of journalism, never ever compromised with its basic and central tenets. This occasion provides us an invigorated opportunity to tread the path shown by him in his long, chequered but full of struggles and challenges innings as the doyen of journalism in Jammu and Kashmir. It is on account of his enviable and extraordinary efforts and in consistent way with regard to moulding, shaping and carving out this paper that it steadily reached this position starting from virtually the bottom-line. Not only could that be carried incessantly forward in the pursuit of the noble but increasingly sensitive profession of journalism by emulating his concepts about coming up to the touching stones of expectations of the readers and general public but proving it right in the laboratory of truth, facts and impeccable reporting and professional analysis.
Conscientiously, we are practically endeavouring to achieve those standards to give rest to any grain or sort of quixotic entwining in the exercise. That is proved by how our esteemed readers respond, positively react and encourage us with their levels of satisfaction conveyed to us directly and indirectly with regard to the contents in the paper – be it reporting of all hues, the latest news, vital but valued information, analysis of events, our editorials, opinions expressed by wide spectrum of writers and experts in respective fields. In other words, we are putting in our best to take forward the prized legacy in letter and spirit and even though the paper having taken giant strides to match with the readers’ and patrons’ expectations, yet we leave again to the esteemed readers to keep appraising our performance and efforts so as to enable us constantly do still better in that direction.
While progressively we were trying to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, the worst challenge of the century to even the survival of humanity, that second wave with all fury struck again this year in early April. While it was brought under control within few months to the levels of getting vastly subdued, at the same time, it took its toll of precious human lives and wreaking of havoc with the economic system that was otherwise slowly recovering. During the crucial period of the second wave of COVID, we did not, even in the least, allow the pandemic especially during lockdown to even remotely have any effect on our reporting and as usual being among the first ones to keep our dear readers and patrons acquainted with all the latest happening around not only in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh but quite beyond at national and international levels. In that, the staff of the ‘Excelsior’ working in a superb team spirit wholeheartedly deserves all kudos. Wherever COVID warriors served beyond our expectations undauntedly, we highlighted the same and reported exactly in the same fervour wherever deficiencies were found in the management of the virus.
Restoring fully political democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir being on the anvil was demonstrated by the invitation extended by the central government to the entire political leadership for an important meeting at New Delhi chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the HM and others. Lot of positivity and hopes are generated from this meeting to give more impetus to democratic process and various developmental activities underway in the UT. Although acts of militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir have continuously shown declining and waning trends, yet sporadic acts rattle the gained calm and equilibrium especially when the targets are innocent unarmed civilians, officials or functionaries. We keep on suggesting and impressing upon the need to join the mainstream by those misguided youth who still choose the wrong path. Cross border acts of infiltration having largely been thwarted and thus contained, yet terror acts through newer modes like drone flying machines and attempts to hit vital targets, as recently seen in Jammu, are being attempted.
We keep on vigorously highlighting peoples’ issues of all hues and from all parts of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh. Not only that, we keep on monitoring and following up the developments taking place in those issues lest the administration goes slow on them. Scourge of corrupt practices, wherever found and reported in the administrative apparatus are vigorously taken up by us with intent to cleanse the system of such a blot by invoking administrative and legal courses of action.
Drugs and narcotics trade and elements involved in various activities related thereto who continuously keep on widening their network and enticing more people, mostly young, to walk into their trap is a problem of no lesser dimension. We vigorously keep on highlighting the issue and how the menace could be curbed and vastly contained to save our young people whose number is increasing from getting addicted and ultimately turning into a liability instead of precious human resources.
We have tried to symbolically highlight various aspects that are directly related to the people – our readers and valued patrons. We keep on highlighting almost all issues of importance and give those due prominence through our columns in tune with and in the high spirits of the guidance of our father. We, however, are expressing our thanks and gratitude to you, our esteemed readers, who are our real strength and motivation.
— Kamal and Neeraj
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