Bengaluru: Veteran journalist, author, and Editorial Advisor of Samakalika Malayalam Weekly, TJS George (97), breathed his last at a hospital in Manipal due to age-related ailments. Born on May 7, 1928, as Thayil Jacob Sony George, he was the son of Magistrate T.T. Jacob and Chachiamma Jacob. Over a career spanning more than five decades in India and abroad, George established himself as one of the most respected voices in journalism.
He began his career in 1950 with the Free Press Journal in Bombay and went on to work with the International Press Institute, The Searchlight, and the Far Eastern Economic Review. He also made history as the founding editor of Asiaweek, published from Hong Kong.
Notably, George became the first editor in independent India to be jailed for defending press freedom, when he was imprisoned during his tenure at Searchlight in Patna. In a remarkable show of support, then Defence Minister V.K. Krishna Menon personally appeared in Patna to argue his case.
Beyond journalism, George was a prolific author, penning nearly 20 books in English and Malayalam. His works include biographies of towering figures such as V.K. Krishna Menon, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Nargis, Pothan Joseph, and Lee Kuan Yew, as well as his acclaimed memoir Ghōshayātra.
In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to media and literature, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2011 and the Swadeshabhimani Award in 2017.
