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Journalism of Courage
Launching a daily during an economic downturn would be a marketing managers nightmare. But Surya Prava,a soon-to-be-launched Oriya daily,is no routine newspaper,what with current CBI Director Ashwani Kumar flying in from Delhi to inaugurate its building and a former director,Uma Shankar Mishra,joining as its editor.
While Kumar yesterday inaugurated the office and the website of the newspaper,the 16-page broadsheet will be launched on January 23. The newspaper is being promoted by a little-known contractor called Bikash Swain.
Mishra,who,during his tenure as CBI director,got underworld don Abu Salem extradited from Portugal,has been employed as Editor of the newspaper.
All along,I was an IPS officer. So there was no question of getting to write, Mishra admitted to The Sunday Express. The paper would be run by other editors too. Besides,I have other responsibilities, he said.
Mishras other responsibilities are membership of Meghalayas Planning Commission,being an adviser to Microsoft India and practising law in Delhi. Given his multiple roles,Mishra is not sure whether he can be a full-time editor. Lets see, was his cryptic reply.
Despite a tight advertisement market,the paper has hired 20-odd young journalists and several marketing professionals,locating them in a swanky office in a multi-storeyed building. Managing editor of the paper,Naveen Das,said the launch had been planned in advance and they stuck to the plan despite the economic slump.
