The shifting landscape of Indian journalism is marked by bold milestones, such as the landmark issue on Kashmir in the 1990s.
THE LATE Vinod Mehta, editor extraordinaire, must be grinning wherever he is. Why? Because amidst the articles and essays accusing Sonia Gandhi of her alleged connection with George Soros, there’s a website called Nancho.net.
Vinod Mehta
This website appears to have mirrored or replicated significant articles from the early days of the internet in India (1990s). The curated articles on this platform are now being touted as “proof” by the BJP to criticize Sonia Gandhi for her political shortcomings.
What’s Vinod Mehta got to do with it?
The late Vinod Mehta’s name is prominently linked to the first issue of Outlook magazine, which featured a landmark cover story on a poll conducted in Jammu and Kashmir, alongside an excerpt from a novel by former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. This iconic issue is among those showcased on Nancho.net.
That issue was, and remains, a milestone in Indian journalism. It exemplified what Indian journalism could achieve when a visionary editor launched a magazine with boldness and intent.
The “bang” came from addressing the unspoken, unreported, and unknown questions surrounding the national narrative—such as what do the people of Kashmir truly feel, as opposed to the perspectives imposed on them. The year was 1995, the month October.
That single issue made waves. With it, Vinod Mehta firmly established himself as the editor-in-chief of a political magazine that, from its debut, was unafraid to ask the State all the uncomfortable questions.
At the time, the only other Indian magazine of note was India Today, launched in 1975. Until 1995, India Today was a monthly publication. In contrast, Outlook debuted as a weekly, revolutionizing news delivery with faster and sharper timelines. Today, of course, news reaches us in the time it takes to type or speak a sentence.
Thank you, BJP, for bringing Vinod Mehta back into the conversation. 
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Charu Soni
The writer, a journalist, has been associated with Surya, Sunday Mail, The Statesman, The Hindustan Times, Tehelka, and Outlook.
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