A kurta, a notebook, and no fear: Abhay Mokashi’s passing marks the end of an old-school journalism era

In Abhay Mokashirsquos passing the Indian media has lost one of its stellar journalists A reporter columnist and senior editor who worked across several newspapers for more than four decades he leaves behind a legacy that is both voluminous and rich in content and contextAbhay and I worked together at midday from the mid1990s till the end of the decade when I was editing the paperHe was already an established byline in Mumbai known for groundbreaking stories in his previous stints when he was hired as chief reporterAround this time midday was seeking ambitious growth for which aggressive hard news coverage of Mumbai then Bombay had become imperativeStrong features and sports sections engaging soft stories comics celebrity columnists and a riveting Diary page that had its finger on the pulse of the city had helped the paperrsquos popularity soar in the years since its launch in 1979 To scale new peaks the paper now needed a more rounded identity that catered to the interests aspirations and concerns of an emerging readershipThe brief for Abhay when he was hired was simple pursue hard news vigorously investigate stories with unrelenting rigour and plan campaigns that resonated with the denizens of a vibrant complex and demanding cityAbhay and I hit it off instantly He was humble in demeanour but a tough cookie when it came to work The trademark khadi kurta worn over cotton pants reflected his socialist background Yet while he held strong personal convictions he was never bound by ideology when it came to the practice of journalismWe worked closely for many years during which I came to know him well and admire him immenselyI cannot recall him ever missing the morning editorial meeting despite travelling daily from the distant suburbs by local trainHe was a journalist of impeccable integrity with formidable skills who inspired a generation of young reporters through his workAs a reporter he was par excellence He had an uncanny ability to sniff out news and followed it up with energy and diligence until he got to the bottom of the issue This was his forte Hardened by the discipline required to turn a lead into a fully fleshedout story he was scathing of those who jumped to conclusions using shortcuts or unverified informationAbhay was also a natural leader taking young reporters under his wing and sharing his expertise and sources without fear or insecurity Under his guidance reporters flourishedDuring his tenure in which he rose to become political editor and also helped launch the Pune edition midday carried out several pathbreaking stories and investigations mdash too many to list here Two however stand out1 The kidney transplant scam investigation in which poor labourers were coerced into parting with their kidneys for a pittance by unscrupulous doctors2 Extensive reportage of the Justice Srikrishna Commission hearings into the 1993 bomb blastsBoth investigations rattled the corridors of power in Mumbai and Maharashtra Abhay Mokashi belonged to the old school He was steadfast in his belief in journalism as a critical pillar of a robust democracy and unafraid of speaking truth to power That last quality was his hallmark Journalists like him are a rapidly vanishing breed in todayrsquos milieu where the media alas is more supine than assertive This makes his passing an even more profound loss to the professionAyaz Memon was the Editor of midday between 1993 and 2000