The demise of Gh Nabi Shaida, the Founding Editor of Srinagar based top Urdu daily “Wadi Ki Awaz” has created a deep void in Kashmir’s print media which won’t be filled for a very long time to come as he was one of the media legends of Jammu & Kashmir known for their honesty and professional integrity. Shaida an institution in himself was one of the all time anti-establishment voices in Kashmir even during the most difficult times. Shaida was a journalist who withstood all the challenges with courage and commitment in most trying times and did not bother even to be the critic of most powerful helmsmen in Jammu & Kashmir. He also had the distinction of successfully implementing the idea of running a bilingual newspaper by using his own Urdu title “ Wadi Ki Awaz” for a bilingual newspaper. Though editors of many other newspaper had followed his idea of publishing bilingual newspapers in Kashmir valley later but the practice was abandoned only after editors of some English Dailies choose to publish urdu newspapers separately under urdu titles only and Urdu dailes preferred to publish English dailies separately under English titles only. This way Shaida was instrumental in expanding media publications both in English and Urdu languages in Kashmir valley. He was one of the contemporaries of Jammu & Kashmir’s journalistic legends like late Khwaja Sonaulljah the founder editor of Urdu daily “Aftab”, late Sofi Gh Mohammad the founder editor of Urdu daily “Srinagar Times” and late Ved Bhasin the founder editor of English Daily “Kashmir Times”.
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Late G N Shaida like his other contemporaries of Kashmir print media would be remembered for a very long time for his contribution to the growth and expansion of Kashmir print media and professional integrity which he never ever compromised till the very end. Alas! A legend is lost. It would be very difficult to fill the void created by his departure in the coming years. May his soul rest in peace!
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Former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Jagmohan writing a separate critical essay about late Shaida in his book “The Frozen Turbulence Of Kashmir” is a testimony to the fact that he never bothered even for the people who were wielding brute power and enjoyed the clout of the top central leadership in most challenging times in the past in Jammu & Kashmir. He was not only the founder editor of top Urdu daily “Wadi Ki Awaz” but also the founder Chairman and trustee of a literary organisation “Shama Foundation”. He was carrying out public welfare activities under the banner of “Shama Foundation” which was run by a charitable trust under his leadership. Late G N Shaida like his other contemporaries of Kashmir print media would be remembered for a very long time for his contribution to the growth and expansion of Kashmir print media and professional integrity which he never ever compromised till the very end. Alas! A legend is lost. It would be very difficult to fill the void created by his departure in the coming years. May his soul rest in peace!
