Thayil Jacob Sony George is an Indian writer and biographer who received a Padma Bhushan award in 2011 in the field of literature and education. The fourth of eight siblings, TJS was born in Kerala, India to Thayil Thomas Jacob, a magistrate, and Chachiamma Jacob, a homemaker. Although his roots are in Thumpamon, Kerala, he lives in Bangalore and Coimbatore with his wife Ammu. He has a daughter, Sheba Thayil and a son, Jeet Thayil. American TV journalist Raj Mathai is his nephew.
Career and writing style
T. J. S. George has achieved distinction internationally as a professional author, serious political columnist and biographer with a series of major books. After graduating from Madras Christian College in Chennai, India, with an Honours degree in English Literature, he began his career in The Free Press Journal in Mumbai in 1950. He moved through the International Press Institute, The Searchlight, and the Far Eastern Economic Review to become the founding editor of Asiaweek. He is currently the Editorial Advisor of The New Indian Express. A veteran senior journalist and one of the best known columnists in India, he continues his fight against social injustice, corruption and political anarchies through his columns in Indian Express. Besides being an editor, columnist, author and eternal wordsmith, he has also been a longtime China watcher. After a gap of 10 years, he went back to China in 2008 to witness the Olympic preparations and wrote a series of articles about modern China.
Books
Krishna Menon offers a remarkable insight into the baffling personality of the Indian statesman and freedom fighter who inspired a few, infuriated many and embarrassed all.
Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore is a penetrating analysis of the policies and predilections of this controversial leader.
The Life and Times of Nargis, an elegant and informative book about the eternal artiste who goes beyond the Hindi film industry, is a throwback to a Golden Age of artistic talent untainted by technology or commercialism.
The Enquire Dictionary: Ideas, Issues, Innovations includes Indian and East Asian terms that are conspicuously absent in Western dictionaries.
Lessons in Journalism – The Story of Pothan Joseph depicts the colourful life of the legendary editor and freedom fighter whose career highlights the importance of professionalism and values in journalism.
The First Refuge of Scoundrels: Politics in Modern India is a collection of articles from TJS George's weekly column, "Point of View", that was a regular feature of The New Indian Express for 10 years.
Revolt in Mindanao: The Rise of Islam in Philippine Politics
Revolt in Bihar: A study of the August 1965 uprising
Moments is a collection of articles from "Sidelights," the author's editorial column of The Searchlight newspaper, Bihar, India, 1964–65.
Editing: A Handbook for Journalists foresees the threat of electronic competition and redefines the new role of the print media editor.
India 1000 to 2000: the story of a 1000 years A Millennium Book of Reference.
India at 50: Facts, Figures and Analyses 1947 – 1997
MS – A Life in Music, "unravels the saga of one of India's most revered musicians", M. S. Subbulakshmi, "who broke through the barriers of class and caste to be accepted by the puritanical upper crust of South Indian society and applauded by the male-dominated bastion of Carnatic music in Madras".
The Goenka Letters: Behind the scenes in The Indian Express provides an insight into the hidden and often selfish and petty side of some of the mightiest icons of Indian politics, as well as "vignettes of a period when journalism underwent a metamorphosis."
Nātōtikkappalil nālumāsam describes the author's travels to Africa, England and Europe in a merchant ship.
Ghōshayāthra, memoirs written in his native language, Malayalam, is an egoless "procession", a journey set off from Bombay to New York through Hong Kong and includes a historical account of modern Indian English journalism.
Askew: A Short Biography of Bangalore brings alive the history and culture of the erstwhile Garden City turned IT hub, with colorful anecdotes about people, places, and eateries narrated by a longtime resident.
