Gauri Lankesh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gauri Lankesh
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Gauri in 2012
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| Born | 29 January 1962 |
| Died | 5 September 2017 (aged 55) |
| Cause of death | Murder (gunshot wounds) |
| Occupation | Activist, journalist |
| Employer | Lankesh Patrike |
| Spouse(s) | Chidanand Rajghatta |
| Family | P. Lankesh (father) Indrajit Lankesh (brother) Kavitha Lankesh (sister) |
| Awards | Anna Politkovskaya Award |
Gauri Lankesh (born January 29, 1962 – died September 5, 2017) was an Indian journalist and activist from Bangalore, Karnataka. She worked as an editor for Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada weekly newspaper started by her father, P. Lankesh. She also ran her own weekly paper called Gauri Lankesh Patrike. Gauri was known for speaking out against extreme right-wing groups. She was sadly killed outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5, 2017. She received the Anna Politkovskaya Award for her brave work. This award recognized her efforts in speaking against right-wing extremism, fighting for women's rights, and opposing unfair treatment based on caste.
Contents
Early Life and Journalism Career
Gauri Lankesh was born on January 29, 1962. Her family belonged to the Kannada Lingayat community. Her father, P. Lankesh, was a famous poet and journalist. He started the Kannada-language weekly newspaper Lankesh Patrike. Gauri had two siblings, Kavitha and Indrajit.
Gauri began her career as a journalist in Bangalore. She worked for The Times of India. Later, she moved to Delhi with her husband, Chidanand Rajghatta. She soon returned to Bangalore and worked for Sunday magazine for nine years. When her father passed away in 2000, she was working for a Telugu television channel in Delhi. By then, she had already spent 16 years as a journalist.
Working at Lankesh Patrike
After their father, P. Lankesh, died, Gauri and her brother Indrajit wanted to stop publishing Lankesh Patrike. However, Mani, the newspaper's publisher, convinced them to continue. Gauri then became the editor of Lankesh Patrike. Her brother Indrajit managed the business side of the paper.
From 2001, Gauri and Indrajit started to disagree about the newspaper's focus. These disagreements became public in February 2005. A report about an attack on policemen was published in the magazine. Gauri had approved this report. On February 13, Indrajit, who owned the paper, removed the report. He claimed it supported the attackers.
The next day, Indrajit filed a police complaint against Gauri. He accused her of taking a computer, printer, and scanner from the office. Gauri filed her own complaint. She said Indrajit had threatened her. On February 15, Indrajit held a press conference. He accused Gauri of promoting certain groups through the paper. Gauri held her own press conference. She denied the accusation. She said her brother did not like her social activism. After this, Gauri started her own Kannada weekly newspaper. She named it Gauri Lankesh Patrike.
Gauri's Views and Beliefs
Gauri was a strong critic of right-wing politics. In 2003, she spoke out against attempts to make a Sufi shrine more Hindu. In 2012, she joined a protest in Mangalore. She said that Hinduism was a "system of hierarchy in society." She felt that "women are treated as second-class creatures" within this system. She supported giving the Lingayat community a minority religion status. She also led a group called Komu Souharda Vedike. This group worked for harmony among different communities. She believed that followers of the philosopher Basavanna were not Hindus.
Gauri was a strong supporter of freedom of the press. She wrote about issues involving powerful leaders. She was against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She even ended a long friendship with Prakash Belawadi. This happened when he became a media advisor for the BJP in 2014. In November 2014, the government of Karnataka asked Gauri to join a committee. This committee aimed to convince certain groups to stop violence. However, some BJP leaders accused her of supporting these groups. They asked for her removal from the committee. The chief minister, Siddaramaiah, did not agree to remove her.
Gauri was also openly critical of the caste system. In 2015, some people accused her of criticizing a novelist and a certain community. She explained that she was supportive of writers who showed different aspects of society. She questioned why some groups were offended by one writer but not another who wrote about similar topics.
Defamation Case in 2016
In January 2008, Gauri published an article in her newspaper. The article criticized some BJP leaders. It claimed that three BJP workers had cheated a jeweler. The jeweler sought help from a Member of Parliament. Gauri later said her article was based on information from "sources within the BJP."
Two of the leaders, Pralhad Joshi and Umesh Dushi, filed separate defamation lawsuits against Gauri. Gauri believed she was targeted because of her political views. She noted that other newspapers had published similar claims but were not sued. Gauri tried to have the case dismissed in the High Court. However, in 2016, the High Court decided the case should continue in a lower court.
In October 2016, a court issued an arrest warrant for Gauri. This happened because she did not appear in court. The police arrested her and brought her before the court. She was released after paying a bond.
In November 2016, the court found Gauri guilty of defamation. The court said she did not provide enough evidence for her claims. She was fined and sentenced to six months in prison. However, she was granted bail, so she did not have to go to prison immediately. Gauri stated that she would challenge the verdict in a higher court. She believed the BJP leaders had covered up their actions.
Personal Life
Gauri and Chidanand Rajghatta divorced after five years of marriage. She remained single after that. She lived alone and did not have any children. However, she often spoke of young activists like Jignesh Mevani, Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, and Shehla Rashid Shora as her "adopted children." This was a way of showing her strong support for their work.
Death of Gauri Lankesh
On September 5, 2017, Gauri Lankesh was killed at her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore. Three unknown men shot her at around 8 p.m. She was unlocking her front door after returning from her office. One killer was waiting near her house and fired first. Two others, who may have followed her, then joined him. The killers wore helmets and escaped on a scooter. Three bullets hit Gauri in her head, neck, and chest. She died at the scene.
Public Reactions
Many people and groups condemned Gauri's murder. These included the Indian National Congress. Some leaders compared her death to other similar killings. Protests took place across India. A week after her funeral, more than 25,000 people attended a rally in Bangalore.
Gauri was given a state funeral with a gun salute on September 6. Her body was displayed for a few hours for the public to pay respects. She was buried according to Lingayat customs. Her family did not follow religious customs for her funeral. This was because Gauri identified as a rationalist, someone who relies on reason and logic. The BBC called her the most well-known journalist killed in India recently.
Investigation into Her Death
Police began investigating Gauri's murder right away. They looked at CCTV footage from her home and nearby areas. The city was on high alert the day after her death. Police checked vehicles entering and leaving Bangalore. Police in nearby states were also warned. On September 8, the government offered a reward for information about the killers.
In 2018, a special investigation team (SIT) detained two suspects. They believed these suspects might also be involved in other murders. In June 2018, the SIT stated that one suspect, Parashuram Waghmore, confessed to the murder. He claimed he was told to kill someone to "save his religion" and did not know who the victim was. In September 2018, police in Maharashtra detained two more suspects. They also found weapons. The investigation continued, and more witnesses were questioned in 2022.
Legacy
Gauri Lankesh is remembered as an important figure. She inspires people who protest against shifts in governance. For example, on her third death anniversary, many journalists and activists joined a campaign in her memory.
In 2021, Burnaby, a city in Canada, decided to celebrate Gauri Lankesh Day on September 5. This day honors her on the anniversary of her death.
In 2023, a project called "Forbidden Stories" continued Gauri's work. They investigated fake news and explored new clues in her murder case. This was part of their "Story Killers" series.
See also
- List of women killed fighting for human rights
