*Ex-TOI journalist Alfred D’Cruz honoured with * *Laxmidas Borkar Memorial Award for Journalism*
Late Alfred D’Cruz*,* the first Indian sub-editor of *The Times of India,* Mumbai in 1947 and a stalwart of The Times Group for 40 years, was honoured posthumously with the Laxmidas Borkar Memorial Award for Journalism in 2013 by the Bori Development Trust, Goa. The award, instituted in memory of eminent journalist late Laxmidas Borkar, was presented during the well attended Bori Utsav celebrations, at the Narayan Temple Hall, Ponda in Goa, recently. Sunil, son of late Alfred D'Cruz, received the award on his father's behalf. Way back in 1947, Alfred D'Cruz was hand-picked by the then British Editor, Sir Francis Low, at a time when Englishmen were at the editorial desk. His headline *'India wakes up to a new life'* adorned the front page of *The Times of India*, Mumbai when India gained Independence. Besides editing countless newspaper pages and bringing out the daily edition of *The Times of India,* Mumbai, Alfred D’Cruz, who passed away on June 1, 2012, was the only scribe to write the popular *'Round & About' *column in the *Evening News of India,* Mumbai for some time when the late ‘Busybee’ alias Behram Contractor was on leave. He was also the Editor of India’s best comprehensive reference book: ‘*The Times of India Directory and Year Book 1984'*, including Who’s Who in India, featuring prominent personalities. The book was listed among the best in the Directory of Directories, Michigan, U.S.A. and soon became a best seller in India, US, UK and Europe. Moreover, when *The* *Times of India* completed 147 years in 1985, Alfred D'Cruz brought out a special six-page supplement titled `*Down the Corridors of the Times’* which was a research historical study of the making of the century-old newspaper from its inception. Working at a time when computers, Internet and email were yet to become the buzzwords, he toiled zealously, sometimes until 4 a.m., in the hot metal press giving his go-ahead to proofs and photographic blocks, so that people could enjoy reading their newspapers along with their hot morning cup of tea or coffee. Usually working the late night shift, he edited and put together countless newspaper pages. At *The Times of India,* Mumbai, Alfred D'Cruz worked with the doyens of journalism, namely, Khuswant Singh, M.V. Kamath, M.J. Akbar, Girilal Jain, Behram Contractor, R.K. Laxman and Mario Miranda, among others. After his stint with *The Times of India *for 40 years from 1947 to 1987*, *Alfred D'Cruz worked as the News Editor with *The Sunday Observer*, Mumbai (India’s first exclusive Sunday newspaper). Thereafter, at the age of 67, he joined *The Kuwait Times, *as its Assistant Editor. He co-authored the book '*Saligao: Focus on a Picturesque Goan Village',* brought out during the centenary celebrations of Mae de Deus church in 1973, the only church with Gothic architecture in Goa. The book, illustrated by Late Mario Miranda, is in the Library of Congress in Washington and 20 major universities in the USA. The church celebrated 140 years on November 26. In 2012, Alfred D’Cruz was honoured posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Journalism by the Journalist Association of India (JAI) in New Delhi. Born on 23rd November 1921, Alfred D’Cruz contributed to the enrichment in the field of journalism for 65 years from 1947 to 2012 and is known by the newspaper fraternity as the *‘*Eternal Newsman'. *Picture caption:* The prestigious Laxmidas Borkar Memorial Award for Journalism was bestowed on eminent journalist, historian and author late Alfred D'Cruz, a stalwart of *The Times of India* for 40 years from 1947 to 1987. His son Sunil D'Cruz, received the award on his late father's behalf from Prof. Prajal Sakhardande of the Dhempe College of Arts & Science, Miramar during the annual Bori Utsav celebrations in Ponda, Goa, recently.
