2409:4060:6:99FF:595C:C69D:9A2C:3B09 at 05:49, 22 September 2021

2021-09-22T05:49:16Z

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{{Like resume|date=March 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kumar Ketkar
| image=
| caption =
| birthname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|1|7|df=y}}
| birth_place =Pune (Maharashtra)
| death_date =
| age =
| death_place =
| education =B.A. from Mumbai University
| occupation = News Editor, Chief Editor of Dainik Divya Marathi of Dainik Bhaskar Group
| years_active = 1973 – present
| status =Writer
|office = [[Member of Parliament|MP]] of [[Rajya Sabha]] for [[Maharashtra]]
| term_start = 3 April 2018
| predecessor = [[Rajiv Shukla]], [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
| title =
|party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| family =
| spouse =Shrimati Sharada Ketkar
| children =
| relatives =
| salary =
| networth =
}}

'''Kumar Ketkar''' is an Indian writer, politician and former journalist. He is the Chief Editor of Dainik Divya Marathi. He had started his journalistic career with ''[[The Economic Times]]''. He has also been the [[editor in chief]] of Marathi newspaper ''[[Loksatta (newspaper)|Loksatta]].''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/06/stories/2008060654841100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212045636/http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/06/stories/2008060654841100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 December 2012|title=Loksatta Editor's house attacked|date=6 June 2008|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=26 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bavadam |first=Lyla |date=May 2010 |title=Mumbai has been allowed to be ruined |journal=Frontline |volume= 27 |issue=10 |location=India |publisher=[[The Hindu Group]] |access-date=2012-04-17 |url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2710/stories/20100521271011600.htm }}</ref> He has also worked with The Observer and the ''[[Maharashtra Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://divyamarathi.bhaskar.com/editors/|title=Divya Marathi editors}}</ref> He is known for being a harsh critic of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]], [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh|RSS]] and [[Shiv Sena]]. On 12 March 2018 he was nominated to the [[Rajya Sabha]] on [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] ticket from [[Maharashtra]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/kumar-ketkar-makes-the-cut-to-get-rajya-sabha-ticket-from-congress/19183170|title=Kumar Ketkar Makes The Cut To Get Rajya Sabha Ticket From Congress
|date=12 Mar 2018|work=[[Mid-Day]]|access-date=13 Mar 2018}}</ref> He is also a Member of Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/member_site/Main.aspx|title=Rajya sabha website}}</ref>

Upon accepting the Rajya Sabha ticket, he faced severe criticism on the grounds that journalists should be independent and not support any mainstream political organisation. However, responding to such criticism, he said that his last assignment was in 2013 so 'technically' he was not a journalist. He even admitted that he was earlier offered a RS ticket by [[Bal Thackeray]] in 1998, but declined it due to ideological differences.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-accepted-congress-offer-of-rajya-sabha-as-i-believe-in-gandhi-and-nehru-s-ideology-kumar-ketkar-2594280|title=News Article}}</ref>

He has written on various topics over the years and also has provided media coverage to (i) eight presidential elections in US since 1988, (ii) collapse of Soviet Union in 1991, (iii) integration of Germany in 1992 and (iv) integration of Hong Kong with China in 1997. He was India co-ordinator for South Asian Free Media Association (Mumbai-Karachi Forum); Founder of Literacy movement, Granthali, along with other literary activists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/member_site/Main.aspx|title=Rajya Sabha website}}</ref>

'''Awards'''

Ketkar received the prestigious award for journalistic excellence as "Indian Affairs Transformational Journalist of the Decade” at 9th Annual [[India Leadership Conclave]] & Awards 2018 in Mumbai, founded by journalist Satya Brahma.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indialeadershipconclave.info/veteran-journalist-rajya-sabha-mp-kumar-ketkar-awarded-as-indian-affairs-transformational-journalist-of-the-decade-at-9th-annual-india-leadership-conclave-awards-2018/|title=Veteran Journalist & Rajya Sabha MP Kumar Ketkar awarded as "Indian Affairs Transformational Journalist of the Decade" at 9th Annual India Leadership Conclave & Awards 2018|date=2018-07-28|work=India Leadership Conclave 2018|access-date=2018-07-28|language=en-US}}</ref>

Honoured with (i) 'Padma Shri' in the year 2001, (ii) Special recognition award for journalism by State of Maharashtra in the year 2010 and (iii) Maharashtra Foundation (U.S.A.) Award (Life Time Achievement) in the year 2014; Chief Editor, (i) Maharashtra Times and (ii) Loksatta<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/member_site/Main.aspx|title=Rajya Sabha website}}</ref>

'''Books Published'''

In Marathi, (i) Jwalamukhichya Tondawar, 1980, (ii) Katha Swatantryachi, 1985, (iii) Vishwamitrache Jag, 2000-2017 and (iv) Badalte Vishwa, 2006 and (v) Trikalvedh, 2008; Editor's Choice, 2005 (in English)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/member_site/Main.aspx|title=Rajya sabha website}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ketkar, Kumar}}
[[Category:Indian communists]]
[[Category:Indian male journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]

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Kumar Ketkar - Revision history

2409:4060:6:99FF:595C:C69D:9A2C:3B09 at 05:49, 22 September 2021