Gopal Raju, Editor and Publisher of News-India Times, died in New York on Thursday.
He was 80.
Raju was the Founder-Editor of India Abroad and the India Abroad News Service, predecessor of Indo-Asian News Service.
IANS report:
New York, April 10 (IANS) Gopal Raju, the pioneer of ethnic Indian media in the United States, and founder of the well known India Abroad newspaper as well as IANS, died here early Thursday after a brief illness. He was 80.
A bachelor, Raju died of complications arising from a sudden bout of jaundice.
The soft-spoken shy publisher, who became an institution in the South Asian community in the US, was conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for his contributions to India and its diasporas by then president A.P.J.Abdul Kalam in 2007.
Till his death, he was editor and publisher of the New York-based News-India Times, Desi Talk and Gujarat Times.
The Bangalore-born Raju was also the founder of the Indian American Centre for Political Awareness (IACPA), a well-known non-profit organisation in Washington that sought to empower Indian Americans, especially the younger generation, and helped create a distinct Indian voice on Capitol Hill.
A SAJA FORUM message says: We have received the following update from VEENA MERCHANT, long-time colleague and friend:
There has been an outpouring of grief and heartfelt words of sympathy at the passing away of Gopal Raju. We are deeply touched by these sentiments and are overwhelmed by the kind of feelings that he generated, not just in the community but all those who came into contact with him. A lot of people wanted to send flowers for his funeral. In keeping with Mr. Raju's wishes of keeping his funeral purely private and minimalistic, we request mourners to, instead, send a contribution in the name of "Indian American Foundation" - the money
will be utilized to fund the causes that Mr Raju held dear.
Indian American Foundation
43 W. 24th St Suite 8b
New York, NY 10010
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