Columbia University features N. Ram's Bofors expose in "50 Great Stories"

THE HINDU shown the way as to how a journalism should be.The biggest ever scandal those days that was unraveled by THE HINDU has many credits to its kit where in one of the issues presented was highly appreciated even by the apex court.The revelations about BOFORS CASE presented by the HINDU with precision often rang alarm bells in the erstwhile congress regime throughout its publications and was instrumental in the fall of congress govt then.Mr.RAM congratulations to you and your team of journalists,and we are very happy to know that the THE HINDU's coverage on BOFORS SCANDAL featured as one of the 50 great stories by the Columbia University.

Go Hindu go...You are the best in India.

Hindu is for journalism and Mac is for computation!

I was an ardent reader of this news in those days and was daily waiting for the newspaper with impatience. My wife used to say the paper will be delivered by the vendor as usual but why are you so restive. Good and investigative coverage those days. Congrats.

I am too small in stature to say 'best wishes' as I am no godman to give blessings, but yes I have always been appreciating the quality editorials and news that 'The Hindu' prints on web. Congrats and cheers!

Truely the best and transparent paper of India.

Hi,
Congrats Hindu, Hats off to you Ram sir. This is the recognition not only for the Hindu but for entire print media. We could see The Hindu continuing to break stories that country need to know. Please keep up the good work.

very well done the hindu....this is the real journalism and keep it up
!!!

A name that was build like this was lost when covering the SL issue!!

Credit should also go to Chitra Subramaniam, the journalist who actually carried out the investigation for The Hindu.

Kudos to the whole team of Hindu.We feel proud to say that we have
paper like The Hindu

Mr Hilary Pais,

Just asked urself why everyone was lying and hiding truth if it was not
a case bribing the top most authority of Indian Govt. You can allow your
heart to flow away with your emotions but your mind will always speak
truth if you see the investigation. Respect for N. Ram. We already have
started missing him as editor-in-chief of The Hindu as quality of
editorials have gone down these days. Easily observable.

The Hindu is eminently in a position to bring to surface the involvement of Maran brothers in
the 2-G scam. They have the necessary wherewithal to doing it with their own formidable
network. Will they do it ?
Similarly the paper should concentrate on exposing the ways and means by which atleast
the prominent political class in Tamil Nadu had amassed wealth over a short span of time ,
starting literally from scratch. By bringing them to justice, the Hindu would be doing a great
service to the state and help purify public life to a certain extent.

The Hindu’s coverage on Bofors scandal is featured as one the “50
Great Stories” produced by Columbia Journalism School (CJS) alumni in
the past 100 years.

Mr. Ram completed his masters in comparative journalism from CJS.

Without taking the credit away, it would help to understand the
composition of this CJS Alumni. Would it get published too?

proud reader of the hindu, a standard Paper.

Kudos to the whole team of Hindu.We feel proud to say that we have
paper like The Hindu, epitome of fearless journalism.

To me this item on Bofors opens up a memory window. For one, this was the first time that I heard of someone called N Ram. Over the last three decades and more the entire Bofors affair has caused me disappointment. The fact of commission being paid has been established and the Ram report cited in the Win Chadha case before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. As far as receiving commission goes there is equal amount of evidence against Ottavio Quattrocchi. Receiving commission is not a criminal offence and attracts only assessment and penalty under the tax laws. Rajeev Gandhi government order prohibiting commission does not have the force of law. For a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act there has to be an element of bribing a public official. According to the CBI there was no such evidence against Rajeev Gandhi. Defence Secretary Bhatnagar was hounded for nothing and died a miserable death. So did Win Chadha who received the commission but there was no evidence of brib

Congrats to the Hindu and N.Ram. A word of appreciation for the efforts of Chitra Subramaniam as well is in order. It is a pity that all those efforts went to nought and we let escape the infamous and guilty as hell Mr.Quattrocchi.

Another Feather in the cap for Hindu!!! Kudos to Hindu and Ram !!!

It's good to get a pat from an overseas institution. We always look forward for such accolodes. Neverthless Bofors was great milestone in Indian Journalism. Pity that the culprits were never exposed and brought to book.

Congrats Hindu and Mr.Ram.There is no place for entertainment in 'The Hindu' , this is yet another proof where you deal with the country's status quo. Im sure others are yet to follow your footstep.Way to go

The Hindu is one of the best newspapers around. It has maintained it's principles of journalism when others went astray in the wake of opening the Indian economy to the world. I read it online and enjoy the Sunday edition in Print. I wish you all the best.

Kudos to The Hindu and Mr. Ram! Always classic, contemporary and Statying Ahead of the Times! Have always admired your fearless journalism. Keep up the good work!

Fearless Journalism !!!!! Hope you will move forward with the same attitude.

Need more investigative journalism like this to reform our country. Congrats!

The question that comes to mind is, why did N.Ram decide to break the story? What was his source within the government? What was the equation between the state and the center that moment in history! The motive to break this news remains unclear!

Hats off to Hindu's journalism. Your persistent efforts resulted in exposing the reality of
Bofor scandal. India's so called patriot leaders should be embarrassed for robing Mother
India.

Congrats The Hindu. It is nice to know that you guys exposed Bofors scam. Good Job. I will really appreciate if you can stress the importance of prosecuting Jagan Mohan Reddy in A.P and his father for looting so much money which is 100 times more than Bofors Scam amount. It is pathetic that there are many people (including educated) who are supporting him in elections. God Save India.

Well deserved credit

'Used to be', not 'is' any more. For this publication to return to what it used to be a few decades ago, it needs to purge itself off all the slant that has since become entrenched. It's understandable to publish comments, letters that are favorable, but rarely see any otherwise. Once upon a time, this publication was a standard in content, language, grammar, syntax, and perhaps even style; not any more recently, not even by a long shot.

News 'is', or 'as it happened'. This Bofors expose was/is a case in point. No more does this paper go after the coterie that this party has since become due its dynastic politics; even when incompetent scions are foisted on otherwise unsuspecting citizens.

Despite a penchant for most US schools (Harvard is the worst culprit) to name its own alumni in any 'list', this list ranks the case/story, not the paper or the journalist. And, it sure was well-earned then. Hope this paper strives to get back to those standards it held then, and beyond. Godspeed.

Congrats The Hindu team!
You professionalism stands out like a beacon in the dark sky of journalism in India. Please keep up the good work.

Hats of to Hindu. A great investigated effort to reach to the depth of one of gory scandals of
India. What a shame that even mother India was not spared.

Always, "Truth will triumph" and evil and mockery will be exposed. Independence, fair, ethical journalism will always win and receives reward!

Congratulations! A followup on this after 23 years will be welcomed, would shed some light on the current status case.

Where went the ethical journalism and unhealthy news,when Hindu translated a third
rated weekly called tharasu report about Miss.Jayalalitha, CM,of Tamilnadu in front
page.

I am seeing The Hindu maintaining a high standard and not going in the
way TOI does. This is a great differentiation. Do maintain this
differentiation and remain as U certified.

I applaud the Hindu for it's ethical journalism...maybe in 20 years the 2G scam story will also be listed..unfortunately, the guilty have still not been brought to justice in the Bofors case, hope history does not repeat itself

This is a small appreciation for The Hindu keeping up the social commitment.
Can you start a series on how an ineffective judiciary can lead to corrupt and unethical politics and governments?

While it is always nice to be recognized for past endeavours, there are
a few more scams associated with the far greater defense expenditures
today. Some hasty defense agreements with several new players need to
be investigated as well as the links to large offshore accounts of some
politicians and bureaucrats.

".......stay ahead of times" that's the truth......

Congrats The Hindu, The Ethical journalism has become an alias for The
Hindu, Great Courage when dealing with delicate issues. No unhealthy
news printed even today, and The Hindu maintains a class of it's own.
Truly a class apart and ofcourse, well ahead.

Well done and Keep it Up..

The Hindu deserves congratulation. Ethical journalism is the norm with The Hindu, even when you publish investigative stories.

Keep it up! We feel proud when we say we read The Hindu, and of course, stay ahead of the times