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New Indian Express

Fearless Finalist

The assassination of prominent journalist Gauri Lankesh left the media world and common citizens alike in shock, consequently sparking widespread outrage and concern about journalists' safety in India. Rollo Romig, an American journalist, was one of the concerned, and decided to investigate further. What came of it was I'm on the Hit List (Context; `499), whose status as Pulitzer finalist has reawakened the focus on the issue. 'I was incredibly shocked at the murder, and I wrote an article about the case. But I felt that this was a story with a lot more to say about it,' he recounts, further revealing, 'It was unclear for some time who had murdered her and why, and it took a long time to uncover that. As I dug deeper into the case, I found that she really was an extraordinary and unusual person.' Over the course of the five cumulative years of bringing the book to life, Romig conducted extensive research, travelling to Bengaluru and Karnataka, interviewing diverse people who pored over thousands of pieces of information, along with articles and official documents on the case. 'Gauri's life was complex and moved in a lot of directions. Her parents wrote memoirs because her father was a very famous Kannada journalist, P Lankesh. So I hired a translator,' Romig reveals. Through his investigation, Romig unveiled the complexities of Lankesh's life and work, showcasing her remarkable talent for connecting with people and creating communities. According to him, this ability to build relationships and mobilise people was a hallmark of Lankesh's journalism, and was what made her such a powerful force for change. 'She touched many people. I felt really obliged to look into everything and leave no stone unturned,' stresses Romig. With the recent Pulitzer finalist status being a signature point in the book's impact and significance, Romig hopes that the recognition will help the book spark meaningful conversations about the importance of investigative journalism. 'I hope it'll help the book to reach a wider audience,' he shares, further emphasising, 'Investigative journalism is more important than ever. Just our contemporary reality is so incredibly complex and getting more complex by the minute. We need investigative journalists to uncover what's under the surface'.