| Paras Ram, the founder-editor of The Light of Andamans and a veteran journalist of these Islands breathed his last at 8.55 pm on 18 August 2010. He was 84. The Light of Andamans was born out of the zeal and determination of Paras Ram, to fight against the suffocating Kafkaesque atmosphere on the society that existed even after 30 years of Independence under bureaucratic rule. It was a hangover of the Raj that extended much too long in the Islands. He started The Light of Andamans in 1975. But it was not a smooth sailing. It was printed in letter press and there were only three such presses in Port Blair. |  |
After a few issues, the bureaucrats found it too unpalatable for their refined taste. Words went out to ensure that the paper was not printed. He took the next logical step and set up a press of his own after pledging his house to the bank.
As a crusader; he took up causes that no other newspaper would touch. In doing so, he very often stepped on the toes of the authorities and had to face persecution in the form of denial of advertisements and numerous court cases. He was arrested and prosecuted for his free and fearless reporting. But he continued in the same vein till ill health caught up with him. The media fraternity has expressed shock over the loss of a great journalist.
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