2 November: Arun Shourie an Indian politician

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Arun Shourie

Arun Shourie is an Indian economist, author, journalist, and politician. An Indian economist who also worked as editor of the Indian Express and The Times of India.

EARLY LIFE

He was born on 2 November 1941 in Jalandhar, Punjab. He completed his schooling at Modern School, Barakhamba, and did his bachelor’s from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. In 1966, he then studied economics at Syracuse University in the United States. In 1979, he joined Indian Express as executive editor.

After some years, some major stories covered by him and his team of reporters include the Bhagalpur blinding incidents, the rights of undertrials, and cement and oil scams these put the Congress government on the back foot, and then he became popular for his work.

He has been called a “veteran journalist”.

Then, in 1982, Goenka, allegedly under government pressure, suddenly sacked Shourie.

In 1986, the times of India hired him as executive editor, but the next year Goenka brought him back to the Indian Express. By 1990, he was out from Indian express. He continued writing regularly for newspapers and magazines.

In 2000, he was named one of the International Press Institute’s World Press Freedom Heroes. He was also named the International Editor of the Year Award and awarded The Freedom to Publish Award.

Later he became a member of the BJP, and then minister of Disinvestment, Communication, and Information Technology in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Besides his career as a journalist and politician, he wrote more than 25 books, he wrote a famous book on B. R. Ambedkar, Worshiping False Gods.

AWARDS 

In 1982, he was a winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, in the Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts category.

In 1990, he was also awarded Padma Bhusan, the third-highest civilian award in India.

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