Memories of that 1948 day: Former PTI scribe recalls coverage of Gandhi assassination

As celebrations for Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary pick up pace across the country, centenarian and former PTI journalist Walter Alfred remembers clearly his role in covering the assassination of the Father of the Nation.

Alfred, who celebrated his 100th birthday last month, was posted in Nagpur at the time. He was in office that fateful evening when Nathuram Godse pumped three bullets into Gandhi in Delhi's Birla House, now Gandhi Smriti.

"January 30, 1948 was a lean day for all of us... I might have filed a few news stories till evening. The office phone rang around 6.30-7 pm and that's when I got to know about the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Alfred, who now lives in Mira Road near Mumbai, recalled.

His colleague Ponkshe from Mumbai was at the other end, informing him about the fatal attack on the Mahatma while he was his way for his evening prayers.

Alfred said he did not lose his composure.

"I immediately started typing the initial copies based on the briefing by Ponkshe. There were two peons in the office who rushed with the copies to our six local subscribers, including an English daily, as there was no teleprinter then."