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Kumar Ketkar | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 3 April 2018 – 3 April 2024 | |
| President | |
| Chairman | |
| Preceded by | Rajiv Shukla |
| Succeeded by | Chandrakant Handore |
| Constituency | Maharashtra |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1946-01-07)7 January 1946 (age 79) Pune (Maharashtra) |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Shrimati Sharada Ketkar |
| Education | B.A. from Mumbai University |
| Occupation | News Editor, Chief Editor of Dainik Divya Marathi of Dainik Bhaskar Group |
Kumar Ketkar is an Indian writer, politician and former journalist. He was the Chief Editor of Dainik Divya Marathi. He had started his journalistic career withThe Economic Times. He has also been theeditor in chief of Marathi newspaperLoksatta.[1][2] He has also worked with The Observer and theMaharashtra Times.[3] He is known for being a harsh critic of theBJP,RSS andShiv Sena. On 12 March 2018 he was nominated to theRajya Sabha onCongress ticket fromMaharashtra.[4] He is also a Member of Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs.[5]
Upon accepting the Rajya Sabha ticket, he faced severe criticism on the grounds that journalists should be independent and not support any mainstream political organisation. However, responding to such criticism, he said that his last assignment was in 2013 so 'technically' he was not a journalist. He even admitted that he was earlier offered a RS ticket byBal Thackeray in 1998, but declined it due to ideological differences.[6]
He has written on various topics over the years and also has provided media coverage to (i) eight presidential elections in US since 1988, (ii) collapse of Soviet Union in 1991, (iii) integration of Germany in 1992 and (iv) integration of Hong Kong with China in 1997. He was India co-ordinator for South Asian Free Media Association (Mumbai-Karachi Forum); Founder of Literacy movement, Granthali, along with other literary activists.[7]
Awards
Ketkar received the prestigious award for journalistic excellence as "Indian Affairs Transformational Journalist of the Decade” at 9th AnnualIndia Leadership Conclave & Awards 2018 in Mumbai, founded by journalist Satya Brahma.[8]
Honoured with (i) 'Padma Shri' in the year 2001, (ii) Special recognition award for journalism by State of Maharashtra in the year 2010 and (iii) Maharashtra Foundation (U.S.A.) Award (Life Time Achievement) in the year 2014; Chief Editor, (i) Maharashtra Times and (ii) Loksatta[9]
Books Published
In Marathi, (i) Jwalamukhichya Tondawar, 1980, (ii) Katha Swatantryachi, 1985, (iii) Vishwamitrache Jag, 2000-2017 and (iv) Badalte Vishwa, 2006 and (v) Trikalvedh, 2008; Editor's Choice, 2005 (in English)[10]
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