Retirement is the natural end to one's career. People do matter - and Javid Hassan was certainly one of them - but institutions generally outlast its employees. In fact, that is what many people work for - to build institutions. And, I know that this is true in the case of Arab News too. The institution that Javid worked tirelessly to build will go on.
Though he has bid adieu, Javid had made an impact on Arab News since its inception almost 30 years ago. Arab News owes a great deal of gratitude to Javid - a senior reporter - who will always be remembered as a hard worker, honest and generous person and a professional to the hilt. He always gave his best to come up with great stories while adhering to deadline.
It is indeed an honor for me to write a few words on this doyen of journalism and a great human being. At the same time, it is more than a challenge and rather a daunting task.
It is human and natural to feel sad when good people leave an organization. However, there are two types of people who leave behind unforgettable impressions - one who bids adieu with glory, and the other who leaves back traces of bitter tastes.
And when a colleague and a dear friend like Javid bids farewell to Arab News after 27 years of long and dedicated service, I on a personal level feel and consider it a big loss. But I am proud that Javid Bhai -- this is how I always fondly addressed him -- left Arab News at the peak of his glory.
Javid Bhai had been my colleague, since 1984, first in Saudi Business magazine, a SRMC sister publication (now defunct), and later in Arab News. When Saudi Business was about to fold, we were worried about our prospects. It was Arab News Editor in Chief Khaled Almaeena, who came to our rescue and in 1985; he helped me, Javid Bhai and an American Doug Graham to be relocated in Arab News, while the rest of the magazine staff were let go.
Javid built for himself and the newspaper a formidable reputation based on the finest tenets of journalistic pursuits. A very humble, kind, soft, affable, noncontroversial, helpful, cheerful person, Javid was blessed with an intrinsic ability to grasp the crux of any issue and adopt the most effective methods of tackling it.
His was a byline that came to be associated with in-depth knowledge, an accurate analysis of issues and most importantly, an impeccable integrity that reflected on every issue he raised.
I would not be wrong in stating that Arab News perhaps will never again have a seasoned and lovable journalist like him. He was a gem of a journalist, whom even the American journalists in Arab News applauded.
Javid was always in the forefront of extending help to his colleagues. During my tenure in the newspaper, I had to coordinate with him on several issues. And one of the issue which was hard to handle in those days was to get family visas for AN expatriate staffers. Such a cooperative and helpful person was Javid that he never got annoyed over my constant nagging to get our colleagues' work done. "You just draft a letter for Mr. Ibrahim Awaji (then deputy minister of interior) and get it signed by Mr. Khaled, send it to me, and I will do the rest." And he did. Indeed, this was not part of his job, but yet he took interest and successfully arranged for the visas.
Every morning when I used to call him about the status of the visas, he had a positive answer. "Shahid Sahib, I went to the Interior Ministry, handed the request to the minister's secretary Fahd Mohammed, and he has assured me the "no objection" certificate signed by the minister next day. I will fax the same in the afternoon," he told me, and he kept his word. Not only had he arranged family visas, he also arranged for the visit visas of the relatives of the staff.
During my visit to Riyadh, he received me at the airport, ferried me around, and then dropped me at the airport. He had the great quality of winning people over with his behavior.
His American colleagues in Saudi Business Jerry Brown, the late Philip Shehadi and Patrick Werr, always lavished praise about Javid's journalistic work. "His writings are more powerful than ours," Shehadi had told me once. Another former American colleague Doug Graham, whom we fondly addressed as Ghulam Dastagir, once said to me, "Oh, that Javeeeed. He is wonderful and a great journalist, human being and a great Indian."
When I mentioned earlier that Javid's leaving was a great loss to me, it was not without reason. Javid always took time to e-mail me appreciating my stories, and also encouraging and motivating me to continue the good work. In one of the e-mails he wrote: "Shahid Saab, I wish to congratulate you on your exposes on various scandals in Maharashtra. May you continue to blow whistles on corruption and other murky activities going around in Pune, Mumbai and elsewhere. Wishing you all the best."
In another message he says, "I continue to monitor your reports. You are doing a great job and miss no opportunity to have a swipe at the Sangh Parivar. God bless you."
The motivation factor has been of immense importance. Javid tried to help me in several different ways. He used to send me some material to work on a story, and on other aspects he used to recommend group publications editors in chief to use my services for generating advertisements for special supplements. He also used to frequently recommend my name to several other publications that were looking for specialized journalists in India for their publications and public relations work. I learned a lot from him, particularly as to what humanity is, the quality of great journalists, and I remember his quote when he said, "Sycophancy journalism does not turn you into a qualified professional skilled journalist, but constructive, fearless and courageous journalism makes you a topnotch journalist."
The high standards of journalism that Javid set has led to the recognition of him being selected to write a book on Arab News, a project which he will complete in his hometown Bangalore. He has asked for some anecdotes from me for the book, and it will be my pleasure to contribute and help him in any way.
I salute this great journalist and wish him all the best in his life and pray Allah to bless him in every way.
Ameen.
