Ravi Rohmetra
Duggar is the land of warriors, writers, poets, scholars, intellectuals, journalists and many of her illustrious sons and daughters have brought laurels to their motherland and raised her glory to Himalayan heights. One among them was Lala Gopal Sachar.
Lala Gopal Sachar, a veteran and Legendary Journalist, representative of Hind Samachar Group of Papers in Jammu and proprietor of “The Sachar News”, Jammu was born on 17th July 1927 at Bhalwal Brahamana in Jammu.
He was born in such a remote and backward village that he had to study in three different schools before he could pass matric. He then joined Prince of Wales College Jammu but could not complete his graduation due to the unfortunate partition of the country and subsequent invasion by Pakistan, rendering him homeless. In 1949, after the arrest of Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, the RSS Leader he started an underground news bulletin in Urdu, titled “Akashbani” for this publication, he was arrested and beaten severely, resulting in fracture of his right leg. He started working with local Urdu weekly “Gulab” but with the start of agitation for integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India in 1952.
He once again started underground news bulletins titled “Akashbani” and “Lok Bani” in Hindi and Urdu respectively, warranting his re-arrest and subsequent release in July 1953. He also acted as Publicity Secretary to Late Sh. Pandit Prem Nath Dogra for two decades and during that period, he edited three Urdu weeklies “Swadehi”, “Jai Swadesh” & “Deepak” besides he worked as a correspondent of “Prabhat”, “Pradeep”, “Jan Pradeep” Hindi dailies Jalandar, “Current Weekly” Bombay “Dinman Hindi Weekly” Delhi, “Daily Motherland”, “Hindustan Samachar News” agency and some others.
Lala Gopal Sachar as he was known in the Journalism, political circles, Government, administration and other fields, remained associated with Hind Samachar Group of Newspapers, Jalandhar for a long period. Lala Gopal Sachar remained a highly poupular figure in the field of Journalism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country because of his unbiased writing throughout the career. Lala Sachar veteran Journalist passed away at November 14, 2022 at his residence Gandhi Nagar. He was 95 years. His death is as major loss to Journalism. Sachar Sahib, a veteran journalist and one of the founding Bureau Chiefs of Hind Samachar Group at Jammu. Jammu and Kashmir has lost a brave and courageous voice of Patriotism who never feared any Government or separatist elements. He reported Jammu and Kashmir extensively for national newspapers.
Gopal Sachar was a thorough Professional , self respecting and great human being. It is an end of an era. He was active and sending news and analysis till few months – 14th Nov, 2022 was the sad day when Jammu lost a great visionary, veteran Journalist in the shape of Lala Gopal Sachar.
Lala Gopal Sachar Sahib will always be remembered as a gentlemen who endeared himself to large number of people due to his simplicity affable manners and lively and futuristic outlook dominating the Journalism horizon of Jammu Region for nearly six decade with magnanimity and grace. His contributions would remain an inspiration for all of us for many decades. No doubt Sachar Sahib is not with us but due to his selfless service to mankind his name will always live in our hearts.
(The writer is social worker & writer).