Lucknow | A book that celebrates the essence of good journalism and the legacy of senior journalist Naveen Joshi was unveiled at a hotel in Gomti Nagar. Titled ‘Naveen Dhun’, the book has been published by Grey Parrot Publishers and edited by senior journalist and writer Shikha S. The volume features contributions from over 30 journalists, each sharing their personal experiences and reflections on the profession.
The foreword of the book has been written by noted journalist and author Mrinal Pande. Speaking at the event, editor Shikha S. said, “This book stands as proof that goodness takes you far. It has been a decade since Naveen Joshi retired, yet the packed hall showed how deeply he continues to live in people’s hearts.”
Known for his editorial integrity and human-centric journalism, Naveen Joshi was praised for his fearless and socially conscious approach. “He led at a time when journalism followed a fixed pattern, but he carved his own path and strengthened the sense of responsibility in newsrooms,” said one speaker.
Chief Guest Qamar Wahid Naqvi, veteran journalist, emphasized the need to distinguish truth from the flood of information in today’s media environment. “When information is not truthful, it serves only two purposes — to deceive and to manipulate,” he cautioned. “A journalist’s job is to inform, but when personal ideology or external influence drives reporting, it harms society.”
Reflecting on his own journey, Naveen Joshi said, “There have always been both good and bad streams in journalism. As poet Dushyant Kumar wrote, ‘Main bhi to apni baat likhun apne haath se, mere safe par chhod do thoda sa hashia.’ Every editor has that margin — what we choose to write in it defines us.”
Publisher Avinash Chandra of Grey Parrot Publishers said the idea for the book series came after a similar volume was published on journalist Sunil Dubey. “We decided to highlight living Hindi editors who broke conventional barriers. ‘Naveen Dhun’ is the first in that series, and we plan to continue featuring such path-breaking editors,” he added.
The event was attended by IAS officer Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma, Information Commissioner Virendra Vats, former Information Commissioner and senior journalist Harshvardhan Shahi, and several veteran journalists including Nagendra, Dinesh Pathak, and Daya Shankar Shukla ‘Sagar’.
The evening concluded with a note of gratitude — a celebration not just of a book, but of a lifetime dedicated to responsible, sensitive, and truthful journalism.
