Heartfelt tributes to a fearless journalist Umesh Dobhal on his death Anniversary.

On 25 th March falls the death anniversary of a fearless journalist of Pauri Garhwal working as a correspondent of a leading Hindi daily Amar Ujala who was diabolically murdered in room number 10 of Hotel Sun and Snow in the year 1988. Umesh Dobhal was allegedly killed brutally by the liquor mafia of Pauri Garhwal pre strategically and his dead body dumped in an unknown place not recovered till the end, despite the premier investigation agency Central Bureau of Investigation’s in-depth probe.

Born on 17 th February 1952, had popular journalist Umesh Dobhal been been alive today he would have been of of 68 years. Today we remember Umesh Dobhal as a true symbol of genuine, transparent, fearless and daring journalism.

According to newsviewsnetwork.com news report of Sunil Negi, Umesh Dobhal , in fact, represented a transparent facet of clean journalism with dashing investigative journalistic knack against liquor and timber mafias, which meant highlighting the problems of those living at grass roots and exposing whatever is evil or bad for the people and the society even if he had to confront the worst and dangerous consequences. He was a true embodiment of bravery and genuine protector of the fourth estate.

Hailing from a modest background, Umesh Dobhal was fully committed to grass root reporting and bringing to fore the societal evils and the mis happenings that were taking shape in Garhwal Uttarakhand. A journalist who always risked his life to expose the liquor and timber mafias in collusion with the corrupt police officers in Pauri Garhwal, ultimately fall prey to the organised gang of Mafias and sacrificed his life for a noble cause.

I personally knew Umesh who was not only
a friend but more as a brother. While in Pauri, during 1983 , 85 when H.N Bahuguna was contesting independently against Congress’s Chandra Mohan Singh Negi, I saw Umesh actively involved in the coverage day and night. He was in fact a 24×7 journalist always prepared to risk his life for scoops, news and exposing the Mafias and wrong doers, without being bothered for the severe consequences, if any.

Having been a prolific scribe he wrote for Bijnaur times, Pauri Times to later on join a reputed national daily Nav Bharat Times as its staffer from Pauri. Umesh Dobhal thereafter shifted to Amar Ujala Dainik. He started his career as a journalist from Pauri Times and also wrote for prestigious Nainital Samachar frequently.

I vividly remember how Umesh had helped me personally while he was in Nav Bharat Times from Pauri frequently covering news and views of the people before joining Amar Ujala. I happened to be at my In Laws house in Pauri Gaon, Garhwal during 1984 . Just on the top of my in laws house a pushta ( wall of huge stones) build by the local authorities which was in a dilapidated condition fell down blocking the passege and risking several lives of the nearby residents. We complained repeatedly to the concerned authorities but of no avail.

I approached Umesh Dobhal and requested him to cover this news before it is too late. Half of that Pushta has fallen risking my in laws house and lives.To my surprise and pleasure curious and concerned Umesh Dobhal visited the spot and immediately wrote a three column news with a title ,”PUSHTA BANTE HI DEH GAYA”. The news appeared next day in Nav Bharat Times.

The authorities who were negligent earlier, came running to us. Repaired it completely, in record time giving relief to the local residents. Such was his commitment to journalism.

There are hundreds of other pro people instances when he’d risked his life for highlighting the peoples’ grievances. I remember how the total journalistic fraternity unified after his despicable murder in Uttarakhand as well as in Delhi. I was the first journalist to have undertaken the fast unto death at Boat Club demanding CBI enquiry into this episode and the then stalwart of politics HN Bahuguna broke my fast.

Umesh Dobhal was truly a brave n honest face of Hindi journalism who never compromised his ethics, morality, professionalism n values but gave up his precious life fighting the liquor n contractor mafia. He bravely embraced death but never surrendered before the Mafias. Salutes to the doyen of honest n courageous journalism.

The Umesh Dobhal Smriti Trust every year organises a seminar, round table discussions or symposium in various parts of Uttarakhand in memory of the late journalist n also felicitates an outstanding journalist with Umesh Dobhal Smriti Trust award to inspire working journalists to fearlessly n courageously expose the wrong doings in the society as Umesh Dobhal did.

Sunil Negi, President, Uttarakhand Journalists Forum