T. J. S. George, Journalist and Author
Journalist and Author

T. J. S. George

Born 7 May 1928 · Tamil Nadu — Died 3 October 2025

Founded the influential Indian news magazine 'The New Indian Express' in 1978.

Thayil Jacob Sony George was an Indian writer and biographer who received a Padma Bhushan award in 2011 in the field of literature and education.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

T.J.S. George wrote a detailed biography of journalist Pothan Joseph without ever interviewing him, relying solely on meticulous archival research and secondary sources.

The Story

1
🌊 In 1952, T.J.S. George spent four months aboard the SS Jalakanya, traveling from Bombay to Europe, an experience he transformed into his debut book, A Journalist At Sea (1960), serialised in The Free Press Journal where he began his career in 1950.
2
In 1964, George published Krishna Menon, a penetrating biography revealing the paradoxes of the fiery Indian statesman whose diplomacy baffled and infuriated contemporaries, yet left a complex legacy.
3🌏 As founding editor of Asiaweek in Hong Kong during the 1970s, George shaped a pan-Asian perspective on politics and culture, influencing journalism outside India at a time when regional media was nascent.
4From 1997 to 2022, he authored the weekly 'Point of View' column in The New Indian Express, fearlessly dissecting social injustice, corruption, and rising right-wing populism, maintaining a 25-year critique of India's evolving democracy.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2011
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1952, George spent four months on the SS Jalakanya traveling from Bombay to Europe, an uncommon path for journalists then, which he documented in his first book serialized in a major Mumbai newspaper.

🖼️

Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
T. J. S. George at the Stanford University Faculty Club during a visit (2009)
T. J. S. George at the Stanford University Faculty Club during a visit (2009)
2009

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Birth in Kerala
Thayil Jacob Sony George was born as the fourth of eight children in Thumpamon, Kerala, to a magistrate father and homemaker mother.
1928
⚡
Career
Career Begins at Free Press Journal
George started his journalism career at The Free Press Journal in Mumbai, marking the beginning of a long tenure in Indian and international media.
1950
📖
Publication
Publication of Krishna Menon Biography
Published a detailed biography of Indian statesman Krishna Menon, providing insight into his controversial political life.
1964
📖
Publication
Lee Kuan Yew Biography Released
George analyzed Singapore's leader Lee Kuan Yew, exploring his policies and leadership style in a published biography.
1973
📖
Publication
Published Lessons in Journalism
Released Lessons in Journalism: The Story of Pothan Joseph, documenting the life of a legendary Indian journalist without direct interviews.
1997
🏅
Award
Padma Bhushan Awarded
Received one of India's highest civilian honors, the Padma Bhushan, recognizing his contributions to literature and education.
2011
🕊️
Death
Death at Age 97
T.J.S. George passed away in October 2025, concluding a journalism career spanning over seven decades.
2025
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Despite writing acclaimed biographies of figures like Krishna Menon and Lee Kuan Yew, George never conducted interviews with his subjects, pioneering a research-intensive style of biography in Indian journalism.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

His weekly 'Point of View' column ran uninterrupted for 25 years until June 2022, making it one of the longest-running political columns in India, consistently critiquing corruption and intolerance.

03 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

In 2008, George returned to China after a decade to witness the Olympic preparations, producing keen observations on the country's rapid modernization rarely covered by Indian journalists at the time.

No quote recorded for T. J. S. George yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
A Short Film on Veteran Journalist T J S George
·YouTube
More from this archive
A Short Film on Veteran Journalist T J S George
01
A Short Film on Veteran Journalist T J S George
YouTube
A Conversation on Writing
02
A Conversation on Writing
YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

T.J.S. George transformed Indian journalism by elevating the craft of political column writing and biography, influencing generations of journalists through his 'Point of View' column and mentorship. His founding role in Asiaweek introduced nuanced pan-Asian narratives to English-language media, while his biographies set a standard for research-based profiles that avoided personal interviews. His critique of social and political issues helped sustain democratic discourse in India during periods of rising populism.

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