I have been a big admirer of Outlook since the time it was launched. One of the main features that I liked about the magazine were the bold editorial decisions behind stories that others would have brushed under the carpet. The Radia tapes story is one such. The magazine definitely represented the flamboyant personality of the late Vinod Mehta, whom we all miss very much, especially his pointed humour and wit, seen often on TV debates. The magazine is well-known for its secular and left-of-centre outlook and its strident anti-right-wing stand, which has brought in a fair share of criticism. On a personal note, I truly believed that the editorial approach of the magazine reflected the personal ideology of Vinod Mehta and he was free to do so under the constitutional framework prevailing in this country. I don’t think there has been any magazine which has had to court the kind of troubles, be it on the legal front or on the political front for the stories that it ran. I admire the audacity with which Vinod Mehta published some controversial stories. The outpouring of grief from all sections of the society and especially the opponents of Vinod Mehta at the time of his death revealed the stature of the editor as well as this wonderful magazine that he brought out.
I hope and sincerely wish the magazine will enthuse its readers and continue to show the guts and the tenacity in the face of troubles in the times to come, as Vinod Mehta did.
(Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Nizamabad MP and daughter of Telangana CM KCR.)
Outlook invites readers to take part in its 20th anniversary celebrations. Send us your bouquets and, more importantly, your brickbats. E-mail your entry to editor AT outlookindia DOT com
