To say that the Indian media is in a tizzy of seismic proportions would qualify as the understatement of the year. So far.
Editors are quitting, being sacked, or finding ever new ways of being quietly eased out. Promoters are exiting their dream projects after acquiescing to giant business houses. Reporters are making discreet enquiries. Etcetera.
Still, in the midst of all the bloodbath, there has been a palpable sense of grace in the manner in which Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief of the Indian Express has been sent off by his organisation, and the manner in which he has been welcomed to his new port of calling, the India Today group.
Despite Gupta’s exit being in the air for nearly a year, the Express went out of its way to promote his new book, and Express chairman Viveck Goenka (to whom Gupta dedicated his collection of columns) was at hand at the book’s launch. Gupta’s last columns for the paper have been given pride of place on page one.
Goenka’s graceful letter below announcing Gupta’s exit—and Aroon Purie‘s dignified letter welcoming him back into the fold—are a lesson, in an era when even the supposedly great New York Times removed the name of its first woman editor Jill Abramson in a matter of hours.
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EXHIBIT A: VIVECK GOENKA, Chairman, The Indian Express
My dear colleagues
With much regret, I accept Shekhar Gupta’s resignation as Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express. I truly appreciate his letter to all of us and I wish him the very best.
Shekhar leaves on June 15, just a year short of his 20 years here — another moment of transition in the long history of this great institution.
When I chose him for the position of Editor in 1995, I was taking no leap in the dark. I was absolutely convinced that Shekhar, then 38, was the best person to guide this newspaper into the future. And I feel more than vindicated today.
So many news breaks (I have happily lost count) delivered by the finest reporters, editors, sub editors, designers and photographers, a team I am very proud of, team which is the envy of every newspaper publisher: three International Press Institute Awards for Excellence in Journalism; the most questioning opinion section in the business and the most generous, too, given how it welcomes dissenting voices; a renewal of talent each year by the youngest and the brightest from our campuses – Shekhar leaves the newspaper stronger than ever.
Key to each one of these achievements has been the consistently stellar work of the Express team under the leadership of Editor Raj Kamal Jha.
Raj’s leadership is grounded in his commitment to professional excellence and uncompromising integrity. He brings to the newsroom creativity, clarity and depth, three qualities increasingly rare in our business. This not only inspires his colleagues, it powers them to realize their best potential.
Raj could not have a stronger partner in the newsroom than Managing Editor Unni Rajen Shanker.
Unni has been a reporter, an Editor, a Resident Editor (Mumbai) and Editor of the Express News Service. He brings to his leadership a deep understanding of all the different roles in the changing newsroom and an unrivalled sense of fairness and empathy. It’s this that enables him attract the finest talent and then nurture them. Unni is one of the pillars of the Express.
Since they joined in 1996, both have steered change and are, therefore, ideally placed to help guide the paper into the future. That is why, to facilitate a seamless transition, I am proud to repose my faith in them and redesignate them for their new roles.
Raj will be Chief Editor and will report to me. Unni will be Editor.
I look forward to working closely with them. They will find me every bit as supportive as all their predecessors, including Shekhar did, as we plan and implement exciting new upgrades to all our news brands.
There is work to do.
We have witnessed a remarkable election and an even more remarkable victory that bring with it challenges for all of us in the news business whose mission is to question, to report, to interpret and to analyse.
I firmly believe and, more so, given the changes in the media landscape, that these are challenges best suited for The Indian Express given how strongly independence and courage are wired in our genes.
I believe that the present news media environment in India offers us an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to what we do best: faithful and courageous journalism.
With all the shrill voices on TV, the paid news in print and the corporate funded or politician backed news organizations, The Indian Express must be the voice India can turn to and trust.
Speaking truth to power is hard wired in the genes of our editorial teams. The “Express” commitment to this legacy, mine and that of the future generation, will certainly endure. The newsroom is and will be the most sacred space in our institution.
I am committed to raising the bar and instilling a fresh new energy in our editorial teams. In addition to revamped content, I look forward to closely integrating all our news operating systems because our growth is now across platforms. This was evident last month, during Verdict 2014.
We had print editions that were reported and produced to the finest standards and a digital edition that broke all our records with over 52 million page views, more than 100,000 active users for eight hours, a live video news stream from the Express newsroom, all of this making us among the five most visited news sites in the country.
Looking ahead, that’s the road we take. Not only reporting the news first but also being the first to understand it and question its assumptions. This means better stories, better analyses, better pictures, better everything and ensuring that The Indian Express journalism of courage reaches the reader wherever she is, whenever she wants it, whichever device she wants to receive it on.
Shekhar, whether he is at the Express or not, will always be a part of this journey. For, he leaves us with a sense of determination and purpose. And a wonderful tool-kit of ideas and values that we will use and keep adding to.
Please join me in wishing him, once again, the best of luck as he scales what I am sure will be a new professional summit.
And, Raj and Unni, let us get to work. I wish you and your teams my very best.
Best always
Viveck Goenka
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EXHIBIT B: AROON PURIE, Chairman, India Today group
Dear Colleagues
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Shekhar Gupta as Vice Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of all news properties of the India Today Group. It includes all our news and business publications, news TV brands and all related news and business digital brands. This comes into effect July 1, 2014.
This is a homecoming for Shekhar. He joined India Today in 1983 and was here for 12 eventful years during which he was an outstanding journalist. He broke many exclusive stories and covered world changing international events like the fall of the Soviet Union, the first Gulf War, Afghan Jehad and the Tiananmen Square uprising.
In 1995, he took charge of The Indian Express group steering it into a position of editorial leadership and financial strength.
Shekhar is a reporter’s Editor, thinker, author, mentor and active on the international speaking circuit. He typically is an “all sleeves rolled up” hands-on professional who not only leads from the front but works collaboratively and believes in action.
He literally “Walks the Talk”! He is highly regarded in the profession for his integrity independence and knowledge. That’s why he attracts, inspires and builds fine talent.
As I mentioned in my Founders Day speech I would like us to be the best media group in every which way by our 40th birthday which is two years from now. I believe Shekhar joining us would be a force multiplier in achieving this goal.
He will report to me and will be responsible for the editorial quality of all our news and business brands, and our overall expansion and profitability. He will work closely with Ashish Bagga, Group CEO, and enable him to effectively grow the readership and viewership of our brands, profitably.
Anil Mehra will step down as Vice-Chairman but will continue as consultant to advise the Group on matters of strategic importance.
At a personal level, Shekhar’s return is a moment of deep satisfaction and vindication of my belief, our shared belief, in the power of good journalism to reveal and to inform, to question the unquestioned, to help make sense of the noise rather than to add to it.
We need to work relentlessly to prove our essential belief that there is no contradiction between good journalism and the marketplace.
I have always believed: create good content and money will follow. That will be the principle behind another project that I greatly look forward to with Shekhar’s arrival: the launch of some new editorial offerings that will uniquely blend the best of reporting and analysis.
In his new role, Shekhar has promised to liberate me from day-to-day operations so that I can work to guiding the group into a future of great promise, growth and excitement.
Shekhar, welcome back.
Aroon
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Also read: An Aroon Purie tribute worthy of emulation
IJR 
Indeed, truly gracious and an object lesson for each one of us;the letters have a old world charm about them!
I still cherish the farewell letter from the then Exec Ed Mr S R Ramanujan of Newstime (Eenadu Group’s English daily) to a lowly callow young Reporter in Bihar who was leaving his first job in the field after five years of service (1986- 1990) — and joining Indian Express.
The words of encouragement and praise — with some advise about the future — have inspired me always to emulate such guiding spirits in Journalism when the time came to take up similar responsibilities in later years.