Assam Mourns the Sad Demise of GL Agarwala
Onkareshwar Pandey
Guwahati, Feb 1, 2019: India lost an eminent media personality and social worker from Assam namely GL Agarwala on Thursday. GL (Ghisa Lal) Agarwala was a pioneer in launching multi-edition newspapers in three languages Assamese, Hindi and English in Assam and was also involved in several social activities through his organization GLP Social Circle. I had worked in his Media house GL Publications during 1990-91. He was a dynamic and great visionary personality. He maintained very good relations with almost all top political leaders of the country including several former Prime Ministers like Atal Behari Vajpayee, PV Narasimha Rao, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and also with LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and others.
He played a major role in promoting national unity and integrity, brotherhood, and giving voice to the weaker sections of the society through his newspapers in three languages Assamese, Hindi, and English in Assam. He had also played a serious and constructive role in highlighting the issues of the entire North East and particularly of Assam at the national and international level through newspapers.
Agarwala was the chief managing director of his newspaper house G L Publications Ltd. He was the managing editor of Assamese daily Amar Asom, English newspaper Meghalaya Guardian and Hindi daily Purbanchal Prahari; Agarwala passed away in Guwahati on Thursday. He was ailing for some time and breathed his last at his residence here. He was 79.
He leaves behind a son Samir Agarwala and four daughters and a host of relatives. Agarwala was pre-deceased by his wife.
Born on September 19, 1940, at Barpeta Road, Assam, GL Agarwala was a known social worker. He was associated with a lot of social organizations of Assam along with Assam Sahitya Sabha, the most prestigious literary orgnisation of state. Agarwala was also associated with the publication of the first Assamese encyclopedia. Several books in the Assamese language are credited to him.
A large number of senior journalists, social workers, well-wishers, friends and leaders of various organizations flocked at his residence to pay their homage at the news of his demise. The last rites of GL Agarwala were observed at Bhootnath on Friday with complete state honors.
The sudden demise of the noted personality has shaken the political, social and intellectual spheres of Assam. Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have condoled the death of Agarwala.
Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi condoles the death of the octagenarian and stated, “A hardworking and enterprising personality, he contributed immensely to the growth of media in the state.”
"He was also a noted social worker who worked for the social empowerment of the downtrodden and marginalised section of the society. A multi-faceted personality, he was also known for his flair in literature and his death is a great loss to the state," Mukhi said.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in his condolence statement said, “By establishing newspapers such as Amar Asom and Hindi daily Purbanchal Prahari, Agarwala contributed immensely to the journalism sector of the state.”
Condoling the demise of Agarwala, Chief Minister Sonowal said, “his contribution to the different aspects of Assamese society is unparalleled and the people of the state would always remember his works in the fields of journalism and social service.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said, GJ Agarwala, through his GLP Social Circle, touched many lives in their time of need."
Sonowal also directed the chief secretary to take necessary steps for performing the last rites of Agarwala with full state honors, the statement added.