Today on the eighth death anniversary of S.D. Rohmetra – the founder editor of Excelsior, we pay homage to acknowledge his notable contribution to journalism and upholding its noble but most vital tenets. On the solemn day, while we are paying our emotional and revered tributes to him, at the same time,we reiterate our commitment to take forward his prized legacy and bequest of his dedication to and engagement with fearless journalistic pursuits. He has enviably left his mark with his incredible and phenomenal efforts in carving, moulding and raising this paper that keeps us constantly guiding to take it to newer heights of excellence on constant basis. We are putting in our best to subject his such legacy to our filial compliance in order that the contents published in this paper were in tune with what true, honest, fearless, impartial andhealthy journalism demanded and under all conditions.
In fact, the period of transition and attuning of this paper was put to austere standards of reporting and striking a semblance with requisite integrity between what readers know, what they want and what they cannot anticipate but passionatelyneed. In fact, verily due to pursuing such journalistic attributes, not only did the paper take giant strides forward but constantly kept touching boundaries much beyond and wide from the dependence on the local readership resulting in the constant rise in the graph of readership response. Yearning for excellence and flintiest professionalism,in fact, is what S.D. Rohmetra kept as a benchmark, a criterion and a convention never to be compromised onbut only to be improvedupon, to the ultimate satisfaction of our readers. It is only you, our valued constituents, to adjudge us on these parameters and your constant and incessant patronage gives us a feel of satisfaction and strength to move forward.
Since early March 2020, we experienced a novel type of global challenge to the survival of the human beings in the shape of Novel COVID-19 pandemic which, even now, stays and the threat and the danger continue to disturb our routine normal life. Instead of the basic instinct of a man to move about freely and remain increasingly mobile, the pandemic has, more or less, compelled us to stay indoors and avoid moving out unless following proper precautionary protocol especiallymaintaining physical distance from the next one standing, sitting or walking. You will bear us out and substantiate our conforming to the commitment of being among the first ones to keep you, dear readers, abreast of the latest, during the pandemic especially during its peak scare and during the days of observing strict lockdown in its phases. While people had to stay indoors, our team of reporters and other staff members, as a dedicated and committed team, kept performing their duties, fanning areas across the UTs of J&K and Ladakh, braving the threat and encountering various difficulties but collecting and assimilating latest and critical information about the pandemic. We did not falter in our commitment to voice our concern and acquaint the administration with the problems of different hues,wherever faced by the people during the phases of lockdown, be it availability of essential goods and services, erratic supply chains, facilities during quarantine, difficulties of migrant workers, problems about providing protective and insulating kits for the frontline warriors fighting the pandemic wherever and from whichever corner. Unlock phase equally, has its problems which we keep on highlighting through our columns.
As if it was any less draining our resources and taxing our energies , one more problem that of the belligerence and attempts to execute expansionist designs by China on the LAC in Ladakh has been going on for the last three months about which we have been reporting extensively through the latest news as also through the considered views by experts and writers through their columns. Terrorism and acts of violence in the UT especially in Kashmir valley being in utter descending pattern and militants wherever responsible for crimes are being neutralised by the valiant security forces and the UT police. Our unrelenting and continuous tirade against corrupt practices in Government departments, follow-up and monitoring Government’s fight against drugs abuse, conveying difficulties faced by people especially in rural areas about drinking water, road connectivity, power etc, sports and latest developments in the UT, delayed and deferred incomplete projects of public utility etc are a few among numerous issues, concerning people, which we have steadfastly and in unwavering manner, been taking up through our columns with the Government.
We provide adequate space to opinion makers, experts, professionals, writers and literary figures etc to express their views and opinions on varied topics of interest. Giving due credence to it, we have in fact been intermittently providing additional space to them to make the process more participative. You, the valued readers, are our real strength and it is your continued patronage based on your immaculate appraising of our performance that infuses in us the spirit of striving for excellence and accuracy in tune with the wishes and the guidance of S. D. Rohmetra. We are expressing our indebtedness and thanks to you for that, our dear valued patrons and esteemed readers.
— Kamal and Neeraj
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