Narendra Mohan

Narendra Mohan
Born (1934-10-10)10 October 1934
Kalpi, Jalaun, UP, India
Died 20 September 2002(2002-09-20) (aged 67)
New delhi
Occupation Past chairman and managing director, Jagran Group

Narendra Mohan was an Indian industrialist, chairman and managing director of the Jagran Prakashan publisher for India's largest selling Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran. The late Narendra Mohan was renowned for his dedicated journalism and deep simplicity and sincerity and was champion in steering the business to its unsurpassable position today – 30 editions, a massive 19-odd million readers, apart from being one of the most influential newspapers in the country. Guptas have 59.2% family holding in Jagran Group.The late Narendra Mohan's eldest son Sanjay Gupta is editor and CEO of Jagran.

Journalist

Mohan kept a low profile away from the public gaze. But he had tremendous influence both as a newspaper baron and at a personal level. He was drawn into politics as a BJP MP by his 'political mentor' Mr. Lal Krishna Advani. From his humble beginnings when in early 1940s, as a youngster in Kanpur, he didn't have enough money to buy a bicycle and, therefore, had to rely on traditional public transport in the district – the bullock-cart,his determination,vision and foresight mixed with diligence and hard-work he took Jagran group to a meteoric rise.

The group's founder was Mohan's father, the late Puran Chand Gupta, who never faltered in his determination to become a newspaper baron.

Jagran, started from Jhansi, was his third attempt at being a powerful news lord. But Mr Mohan, who took over the paper while his father was still alive, almost certainly deserves the credit for turning it into the potent force that it is today.

He made full use of the technological advances in the newspaper industry to boost the Dainik Jagran's circulation and clout. It was one of the first to switch to colour and printing satellite editions. The newspaper employs about 2,000 journalists and even introduced the concept of 'mohalla' correspondents.

During his heyday, Mr. Mohan was an extremely hands-on editor and wrote editorials, a column and one poem each week in Dainik Jagran. He could fluently dictate an editorial over the phone without notes – never pausing for a moment.

He toured USA, and almost all countries of the world for getting first hand knowledge of working and other socio-economic conditions of newspapers and other industries;

  • Patron
    • Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industries of Uttar Pradesh
    • Shri Puran Chandra Gupta Smarak Trust (which runs CBSE approved Puranchandra Vidyaniketan);
  • was President,
  • Vice-President
    • Chinmaya Mission, Kanpur (formerly)
    • Sadhna Manch
  • was chairman
  • Chairman of various trusts and charitable institutions;
  • was Director
  • Director of various companies and Bank of Rajasthan Limited
  • Chief Editor, Jagran Group of Newspapers
  • Founder Secretary, Kanpur Press Club
  • was Treasurer, Himalayan Institute of Yoga Sciences and philosophy
  • was Member of the Executive of
    • All India Newspaper Editors Conference
    • Uttar Pradesh Hindi Saansthan
    • National Sangeet Akademy
    • Upper India Chamber of Commerce, Kanpur
    • Various Government, Semi-Government and Social Committees and Associations
  • Member
  • elected to the Rajya Sabha in November 1996.

Accomplishment in arts and science

Awarded

  • Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Award, 1986 for outstanding contribution to Journalism
  • Matrushree Award (Delhi), 1989 for outstanding contribution to Journalism,
  • Sita Award (Delhi)
  • Sanskriti Award by Hindi Academy (Delhi).

Publications

He was an avid reader and writer and wrote thousands of articles on different subjects/ He was author of numerous poems and short stories in Hindi/ He also authored and got published three anthologies of poems titled

  • Amrit Ki Oar
  • Dasatva Se Ubaaro
  • Thumara Sangeet

He authored four books

  • Dharm Aur Sampradayikta
  • Aaj Ki Rajniti aur Bhrashtachar
  • Bharatiya Sanskriti
  • Hindutva.

Special interest

Defence, finance, culture and foreign affairs.

References

http://rajyasabha.nic.in/kiosk/whoswho/alpha_n5.htm http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020921/nation.htm#12

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