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Vijay Kumar Chopra
Vijay Kumar Chopra
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Vijay Kumar Chopra (born 31 January 1932, in Lahore) is the chief executive officer and editor in chief of the Punjab Kesari print news organisation. He is involved in social welfare work and has received a Padma Shri award (Literature & Education : 1990). In August 2009, he was elected by the Chairman of the Press Trust of India.[1]

Key Information

Family

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Chopra is a member of the Khatri clan of Punjabi origin and a follower of the Swami Dayanand (or Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement). He is the second child of Lala Jagat Narain and Shanti Devi. Lala Jagat Narain was killed in September 1981 by Khalistan supporters in Punjab,[2] while his brother Romesh Chander was killed by Khalistan Supporters in Jalandhar in May 1984.[3] Chopra has two sons, who both work in the family business.

Education

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In 1955, Chopra graduated from Doaba College, Jalandhar. [citation needed] In 1967, Chopra trained in the field of printing technology in Leipzig, Germany. In 1972, he underwent further training in the Thompson Foundation Newspaper Management Course in the United Kingdom.

Punjab Kesari header with the photos of Late founders Lala Jagat Narain (father) & Romesh Chander (elder brother)

Career

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Chopra is the chief editor and CEO of Punjab Kesari Group, a newspaper organisation. He publishes three vernacular papers: the Punjab Kesari (in Hindi); the Jagbani (in Punjabi); and the Hind Samachar (in Urdu). The Punjab Kesari Group has eight locations: Jalandhar, Patiala, Ambala, Palampur, Ludhiana, Panipat, Hisar, Jammu, and Mohali.

Honours

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  • The "Tama Patra". A recognition by the government for suffering during the National Movement for Independence. (Imprisonment for one year at age 15).
  • 1990. The Padma Shri. The fourth highest civilian award given by the president.[4]
  • 1990. "FIE Award". Given by the "FIE Foundation". (For eminence in journalism).
  • 1990. "F.F.I. Award". Given by the "Foundation of Freedom of Information", New Delhi. (For eminence in Journalism).
  • 1991. "Munshi Premchand Award". After the Hindi-Urdu writer. (For fearless and impartial journalism).
  • 1994. "Sant Namdev Award". Given by the "Vande Matram Sanghatana" social organization, in Pune. (For safeguarding the unity & integrity of the nation through fearless journalism).
  • 1994. "Saraswati Award". Given by the "Haryana Accredited Press Reporters Union" (Haryana Union of Journalists, HUJ) in Kurukshetra.
  • 1997. Entry in the Limca book of records. (Writer of the longest travelogue).
  • "Punjab Ratan award." Given by the "Punjab Writers' Forum" in Patiala.
  • 2005. "President’s Print Award" given at "PRINT 05" trade show in Chicago, USA.
  • 2006. "Rashtriya Ekta Samman" by National Unity Conference, New Delhi.
  • 2007 "Suryadatta Life Time Achievement Award" given by the Suryadatta group of institutes in Pune. (For fearless journalism).
  • "Samaj Rattan award." Given by the Punjab Gayatri Foundation & Shri Gayatri Jan Kalyan Samiti, Ludhiana. (For religious, cultural and social activities).
  • 2007 "Maulana Mohd. Ali Jauhar Award". Given by Maulana Mohd of the Ali Jauhar Academy, Delhi. (For journalism)
  • 2007 "Bhagat Munshi Ram." Personality of the year. Given by the N.T.A.S. Patiala.
  • "Guru Padam Jain Memorial Welfare Award."
  • "Dr. D. R. Garg Memorial National Integration Award." Given by the Himotkarsh Sahitya, Sanskriti Avem Jan Kalyan Parishad (Regd.) in Una. (A social welfare organisation).
  • "Bhagat Munshi Ram National Integration Award." Given by the National Theatre Arts Society, Patiala. (For journalism).
  • "Manvadhikar Shiromani Award." Given by the Global Human Rights Council (R&C), 3234, Sector 44-D, Chandigandra

Curriculum Vitae

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  • All India federation of master printers. President (2004) and member of executive committee.
  • Press trust of India. Chairman. (2001 and 2009).
  • The India newspaper society. President (2000) and member of executive committee.
  • Press Council of India (PCI), New Delhi. Member.
  • The Indian Newspaper Society (I.N.S.). President and member of executive committee.
  • Syndicate and senate, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Member.
  • Punjab Urdu Academy, Patiala. Member.
  • Syndicate and senate, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Member.
  • Editors' guild of India. Member.
  • Organising committee first Indo-Pak Punjab Games. Member. (2005).
  • Urdu Press. Committee of the national council for promotion of Urdu language. Member.
  • State advisory board for the department of languages, Patiala. Member.
  • Punjab legal services authority. Member.
  • Pushpa Gujral science city. Member.
  • Shri Baba Harballabh Sangeet Mahasabha. Member.
  • North India Printers Association. Foundation president.
  • Jalandhar printers' association. President.
  • R.B. Sewak Ram Maternity Hospital. Trustee.
  • K. L. Saigal Memorial Trust. Trustee.
  • Rajan Memorial Trust, Jalandhar. Trustee.
  • Jalandhar district cricket association. Patron.
  • Shri Ram Navmi Utsav Committee, Jalandhar. President.
  • Jalandhar Senior Citizen Council (Regd.), Jalandhar, Chief patron.
  • Local managing committee, D.A.V. College, Jalandhar. Member.
  • Local managing committee, D.A.V. Institute of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Jalandhar.
  • Local managing committee, Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar. Member.
  • Himotkarsh and Lala Jagat Narain Girls College Shiksha Samiti (Regd.), Una. Patron.
  • National committee for commemoration of the ter-centenary of the Guru-Ta-Gaddi celebrations, Nanded. (2008).
  • Punjab Gowshalla Mahasangh (Regd.), Gowshalla, Sangrur. Chief Patron.
  • Amritsar Sewa Samiti (Regd.), Amritsar, Khuh Suniarian, Amritsar. Patron.
  • Akhil Bhartiya Valmiki Shakti Dal (Regd.), Delhi. Chief patron.
  • "Shaheed Parivar Fund". This fund has raised over INR 111.6 million for dependants of victims of terrorism. Over 99 functions have been held. 7,667 families have benefited from UTI certificates to a value of INR 89,141,122.
  • Other donations.

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia

Vijay Kumar Chopra is an Indian media executive who serves as chairman, managing director, and chief editor of the Group, a prominent publisher of , Punjabi, and newspapers primarily circulated in northern . The group traces its origins to Hind Samachar Limited, founded by his father , with launching in 1965 amid a legacy of assertive that included opposition to during the Punjab militancy era. Chopra received the civilian award in 1990 for contributions to literature and education through . In 2019, he was unanimously elected chairman of the Press Trust of , 's primary , succeeding a prior term in the early 2000s. Under his leadership, the organization has emphasized vernacular reporting and social welfare initiatives while navigating family succession challenges in recent years.

Early Life

Birth and Upbringing

Vijay Kumar Chopra was born on 31 January 1932 in , then part of Province in British India. He was the second son of , a journalist, freedom fighter, and adherent who edited newspapers like Pratap, and . The family belonged to the trading community, known for its emphasis on and reformist Hindu values through principles, which influenced Chopra's early worldview amid the growing independence movement. Lala Jagat Narain's involvement in nationalist exposed young Chopra to press freedom struggles and anti-colonial activism. The in 1947 profoundly shaped his upbringing, as the family, facing and displacement like millions of and , migrated from to in , . There, his father co-founded the Hind Samachar group in 1948, including the Hindi daily , establishing a legacy of vernacular focused on regional issues and Hindu identity. Chopra's formative years in post-partition Jalandhar involved adapting to life while imbibing the family's commitment to media as a tool for social and political engagement.

Family Background

Vijay Kumar Chopra was born on 31 January 1932 in , then part of undivided , to , a prominent freedom fighter, Arya Samajist, and journalist who founded the Hind Samachar Group of newspapers after 's partition. , born in 1889 in , had been active in the independence movement, facing arrests during events like the , and established Urdu daily Hind Samachar in 1948 in following the family's migration from amid the 1947 partition violence. Chopra's elder brother, Romesh Chandra Chopra, co-founded and edited key publications within the group, including Punjab Kesari and Jagbani, continuing the family's legacy in regional journalism until his assassination by militants in May 1984. The family's post-partition relocation to entrenched their influence in Punjab's media landscape, with and his sons expanding and Punjabi dailies amid challenges from political turbulence and separatist threats, shaping Chopra's early immersion in a household centered on press freedom and public discourse.

Education

Academic Qualifications

Vijay Kumar Chopra graduated from Doaba College in in 1955. This institution, established in 1941 and affiliated with , provided undergraduate education in , , and during that period. No records indicate pursuit of postgraduate academic degrees.

Professional Training

Vijay Kumar Chopra received specialized training in printing technology in , . This hands-on instruction equipped him with technical expertise essential for managing print operations in the newspaper industry. He subsequently pursued a newspaper management course at the Thompson Foundation in the , focusing on administrative and operational aspects of media enterprises. Such programs, offered by the foundation during the mid-20th century, emphasized efficiency in editorial workflows, circulation, and production scaling for emerging press groups. Earlier, Chopra trained at in under the mentorship of S. Mulgaonkar, gaining practical experience in journalistic editing and reporting processes. This apprenticeship-style training, common in family-run media houses transitioning to professional standards, prepared him for sub-editorial roles upon joining in 1959.

Career

Entry into Journalism

Vijay Kumar Chopra, after graduating from D.A.V. College in Jalandhar, pursued training in printing technology to prepare for involvement in newspaper operations. This technical preparation marked his entry into the journalism sector through the family enterprise, Hind Samachar Limited, established by his father Lala Jagat Narain. The group had already initiated publication of the Urdu daily Hind Samachar in 1948, focusing on regional news and Urdu-language readership in post-Partition Punjab. Chopra's early contributions centered on production and editorial aspects within this nascent publishing house, leveraging his expertise to support the mechanical and logistical demands of daily runs. By the mid-1960s, amid growing demand for Hindi-language media in northern , he helped spearhead the launch of , a daily introduced in 1965 to broaden the group's linguistic reach and circulation. Upon its inception, Chopra took on the role of editor, guiding content that emphasized local issues, national politics, and community concerns. This foundational phase established Chopra's trajectory in vernacular journalism, building on the family's post-Independence media ventures while adapting to technological and market shifts in India's print landscape. His hands-on entry contrasted with purely editorial paths, incorporating operational acumen that later influenced the group's expansions.

Leadership at Punjab Kesari

Vijay Kumar Chopra assumed leadership of the Group following the assassination of his brother Romesh Chopra in May 1984, becoming Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) and Chief Editor of Hind Samachar Limited, the entity publishing the group's flagship newspapers including (), Jagbani (Punjabi), and Hind Samachar (). Under his direction, the group navigated internal family disputes, culminating in a 2004 court-ordered division of assets where Chopra's faction retained control of Hind Samachar Ltd. and printing units in and , alongside his wife Swadesh Chopra and sons Avinash and Amit Chopra, who serve as Joint Managing Directors. Chopra oversaw significant operational expansions, with achieving a daily circulation of 460,000 copies by 1986, making it the largest-circulating daily in at the time. By the mid-2000s, the group's combined weekday circulation reached approximately 975,000 copies, rising to over 900,000 daily across titles by 2022, supported by editions in cities such as , , , , and . He directed technological upgrades, including the adoption of web presses and color printing, positioning as 's first full-color daily in September 2006; these efforts contributed to a reported 15% annual growth rate in the three years preceding 2008. As , Chopra authored regular editorials for the group's publications, shaping their content strategy while emphasizing ideological consistency and technological sophistication. His external leadership roles, including three terms as Chairman of (2001–2002, 2009–2010, and 2019 onward), underscored his influence in sustaining the group's prominence amid competitive shifts toward , evidenced by expansions like Punjab Kesari TV's YouTube channel, which amassed 4.48 million subscribers by 2023.

Editorial and Expansion Milestones

Under Vijay Kumar Chopra's leadership as chief editor and executive, the group expanded its print operations significantly, launching multiple regional editions to broaden its reach across northern . The edition commenced printing in 1991, marking an early step in extending coverage into . Subsequent milestones included the 2004 launches of editions in Palampur and , enhancing distribution in and respectively, followed by the edition in 2006. In 2007, the group introduced a edition for alongside an counterpart for Hind Samachar, targeting Jammu and Kashmir markets. Further growth occurred in 2012 with new editions for and , incorporating sub-editions and utilizing computer-to-plate technology for efficiency. By 2014, expansions continued with planned additions in , , Bhatinda, and , solidifying the group's presence in key urban and semi-urban areas amid competitive newspaper markets. These developments, overseen by Chopra, contributed to becoming the seventh most-read daily by readership metrics. Editorially, Chopra has maintained a consistent presence through regular columns across the group's publications, influencing during periods of operational scaling, though specific campaign milestones remain tied to broader group achievements rather than isolated initiatives. The expansions correlated with workforce growth to over 800 employees across , , and production departments.

Achievements and Contributions

Awards and Honors

Chopra was conferred the award in 1990 by the for contributions to and , recognizing his role in vernacular and media leadership. In 1991, he received the Munshi Premchand Award for fearless and impartial , honoring his editorial stance against and advocacy for press freedom. Chopra has been elected Chairman of the Press Trust of India (PTI), India's largest , on three occasions: for the terms 2001–2002, 2009–2010, and 2019–2021, reflecting his influence in national media governance.

Role in National Media Organizations

Vijay Kumar Chopra has held leadership positions in major Indian media bodies, including the Press Trust of India (PTI), the nation's largest , and the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), the representative organization for print media owners. His involvement reflects long-standing influence in shaping news dissemination and industry standards. Chopra served as PTI Chairman for three terms: 2001–2002, 2009–2010, and from September 6, 2019, when he was unanimously elected, succeeding . In September 2018, he was elected PTI Vice-Chairman during 's chairmanship. These roles positioned him to oversee PTI's editorial policies, board decisions, and cooperative news services among member publications. As past President of the INS, Chopra contributed to advocacy on press freedom, circulation audits, and regulatory matters for newspapers and periodicals. He has been a director of the INS since September 25, 1985, and continues as a member of its regional committee for and as of the 2024–2025 term.

Social and Philanthropic Efforts

Vijay Kumar Chopra serves as patron of the Noble Foundation, guiding its efforts to provide education to underprivileged children through leadership focused on compassion and impact. His involvement in social welfare has been acknowledged alongside his receipt of the award in 1990 for contributions in literature and education. Chopra provided foundational guidance for the establishment of Nishkam Sewa Samiti, a registered in founded on July 13, 2003, by Dr. Surinder Kumar Dwivedi, aimed at initiatives. As chief editor and executive of the Group, Chopra has overseen philanthropic programs including the Shaheed Parivar Fund, which in February 2019 distributed ₹1 lakh each to families of martyred and injured CRPF personnel following a terror attack. The fund has also extended relief to border-area families affected by conflicts, such as distributions in April 2022. Additionally, the group's Charitable Trust operates a offering subsidized healthcare, including integrated camps serving over 130 beneficiaries in specialized departments as of August 2023.

Editorial Stance and Impact

Anti-Terrorism Journalism

During the Punjab insurgency of the 1980s and early 1990s, Vijay Kumar Chopra, as chief editor of the Hind Samachar Group publishing , directed coverage that opposed Sikh separatist and fundamentalism, representing Hindu community interests amid escalating violence. The newspapers criticized militant activities despite direct threats to staff, including from overseas networks in the , , and Britain. Operations persisted under fortified conditions, with the Jalandhar headquarters guarded by 30 policemen, sandbagged machine-gun nests, and lead screens; Chopra personally carried a for protection following the assassinations of his father, , in 1981 and other family members. Terrorists targeted the group for refusing to cease publication, aiming to eliminate the largest-circulation dailies in northern , as Chopra noted: "The terrorists wanted that we should run away from this place." By 1989, militants shifted to systematic of rural distributors and advertisers to curb circulation, while resenting the group's anti-terrorism editorial policy. Complementing its reporting, the Hind Samachar Group established a charity fund in the 1980s to aid victims of , reaching $1 million by and serving as a major irritant to radicals by rehabilitating affected families. The Shaheed Parivar Fund continued disbursing assistance, including Rs 33 and household items to 112 terrorism-impacted families in a single 2015 event. This dual approach of fearless and victim support reinforced public resistance to militancy in .

Influence on Public Discourse

Vijay Kumar Chopra's regular editorials in , a daily with significant circulation in northern , have emphasized themes of , communal harmony, and opposition to , thereby contributing to public debates on these issues among Hindi-speaking audiences. Under his editorship since 1984, the newspaper maintained a firm stance against Sikh militancy during the of the 1980s and 1990s, critiquing separatist ideologies and advocating for economic reforms and unity, which helped counter narratives of division in a region marked by over 60 journalist deaths due to such reporting. This coverage, reaching peaks of 460,000 daily copies by 1986, influenced local sentiment by highlighting the costs of and promoting state-led stabilization efforts amid widespread intimidation of media outlets. As chairman of the Press Trust of India (PTI) from September 2019, Chopra oversaw the operations of India's largest , which supplies content to hundreds of outlets and reaches millions, enabling a broader impact on national discourse through standardized reporting on politics, security, and policy. His leadership at PTI, following prior roles in media bodies like the Indian Newspaper Society, amplified Punjab Kesari's priorities—such as for —into wider journalistic networks, fostering discussions on countering threats like the or 2019 Christchurch incident in vernacular and English media alike. This positioned the group as a counterweight to more conciliatory views on militancy, prioritizing empirical accounts of violence's societal disruptions over appeasement. Critics have noted that Punjab Kesari's aggressive anti-extremism line occasionally invited legal scrutiny, as in contempt proceedings over coverage deemed inflammatory, yet these episodes underscored its role in challenging dominant separatist during a period when was polarized. Overall, Chopra's work has sustained a legacy of that privileges direct confrontation with causal factors of unrest, influencing discourse towards resilience against ideological threats rather than . Vijay Kumar Chopra has faced legal challenges primarily stemming from internal family disputes over the control and division of assets in Hind Samachar Limited, the parent company of the group. Disputes arose in the between Chopra's faction (including his wife and sons) and relatives from another branch of the Chopra family, leading to allegations of fund siphoning, mismanagement, and breaches of duties. These conflicts halted board meetings and financial reporting for several years, culminating in a 2004 order by the Company Law Board mandating an equal division of the closely held company's assets, which was appealed and litigated for nearly two decades before final resolution by the in April 2022, involving asset transfers and share cancellations. In the journalistic domain, under Chopra's editorship encountered proceedings in 1996 before the , initiated over published reports on a judicial matter involving Harijai that were alleged to scandalize the court. The publications, alongside those in other newspapers, prompted notices to Chopra as editor and publisher, but the court ultimately recognized them as fair criticism and reporting within constitutional bounds, declining to hold him in and affirming the press's role in critiquing judicial proceedings without attributing malice. Additional legal scrutiny arose from defamation claims against Punjab Kesari. In July 2020, a Punjab court awarded Rs 1 crore in damages to Dainik Savera Times after ruling that the newspaper, edited by Chopra, published defamatory content targeting the rival outlet's owners, including unsubstantiated accusations of criminality; the court found the reports lacked evidence and aimed to malign competitors in the regional . Criticisms of Chopra's leadership have been sparse in public discourse, often tied to the group's aggressive expansion tactics and editorial positions rather than personal misconduct. Some media observers have noted Punjab Kesari's reliance on unconventional revenue streams, such as lottery result publications during periods of regulatory ambiguity, as ethically questionable amid competitive pressures in Hindi-language , though these practices were common industry-wide and not uniquely sanctioned against the group. No widespread accusations of or ethical lapses in anti-terrorism coverage have been substantiated in court or independent probes, despite the newspaper's vocal opposition to militancy drawing threats from affected groups.

References

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