Witness to History

Prem Bhatia lived a life enriched by varied experience, which ranged over such diverse fields as journalism, radio, the Army, Civil Services and Diplomacy. Educated at Government College, Lahore (1928-34) he started his professional life as an apprentice Sub-Editor with The Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore. He was with All India Radio as newseditor before he joined the army in 1942 as an officer in the Public Relations Directorate. In 1946 he joined The Statesman as its Political Correspondent and stayed with it for twelve years. He was the top Indian member of the Editorial Staff which was still dominated by British expatriates. In 1958 he edited The Tribune in Ambala for one year. He returned to Delhi as Resident Editor of the Times of India and later Delhi Editor of the Indian Express and India's Correspondent of the Gardient London. From 1965 to 1973 he was high Commissioner in Keneya and later in Singapore. Back to journalism he edited The Tribune as Editor-in-Chief from 1977 to 1986.