Doyen of journalism in J&K dead

Survived by two sons and two daughters, Om Prakash Saraf had been the last surviving journalist of his times in the state.

During the 1962 Assembly elections, the first to be conducted by the Election Commission of India in Jammu and Kashmir, he travelled from Jammu to Srinagar to file his nomination papers from Amirakadal constituency.

Fifty-five years later, when Om Prakash Saraf, a doyen of journalism in Jammu and Kashmir, died at the age of 95 on Saturday, he again set a trend as his body was not cremated. Instead, it was handed over to the Government Medical College, Jammu, by the family members.

“He had wished so in his lifetime, and all efforts to persuade him change his decision failed,’’ said his son and senior journalist Pushap Saraf.

Survived by two sons and two daughters, Om Prakash Saraf had been the last surviving journalist of his times in the state. A Gandhian, he remained a firm believer in democracy and secularism. He founded Praja Socialist Party (PSP) and contested the first Assembly election from Amirakadal in Srinagar in 1962 — when National Conference won 41 of the 43 seats in the Valley, including 32 unopposed — and the Lok Sabha election in Udhampur parliamentary constituency in 1977.

He was also the last surviving founder of NC in Jammu and he had been a member of the State Legislative Council in late 1970s. He was also a key founder of Janata Party in the state.

PWD Minister Naeem Akhtar said, “The state acknowledges with grateful appreciation the undaunted spirit and invaluable contribution of this selfless man to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.’’