Sabina Sehgal Saikia
Sabina Sehgal Saikia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | ca. 1963 |
| Died | 29 November 2008 The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, India |
| Cause of death | Terrorist attack |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation(s) | Food journalist, restaurant reviewer, and editor |
| Employer | Delhi Times |
| Known for | "Main Course" |
Sabina Sehgal Saikia (c. 1963 – 29 November 2008), an Indian food journalist, restaurant reviewer, and editor for the Delhi Times in Delhi, India, was known for her column "Main Course." She was a victim of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai.[1]
Personal
[edit]Sabina Sehgal Saikia is survived by her family, including her husband, Shantanu Saikia, and the couple's fourteen-year-old daughter and eleven-year-old son.[2]
Career
[edit]Saikia was the consulting editor of the Times of India where she started in the eighties, and a well-known food-critic. Sehgal later changed direction and covered the Enforcement Directorate and CBI.[3] She had a column in the Delhi Times called, Main Course, that was very popular on the eating out life in India.[2] The column would review one restaurant a week very critically and was said to have the power to make or break a restaurant.[3] Saikia was considered India's leading food critic and restaurant reviewer.[citation needed]
Death
[edit]In November 2008, 10 terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba attacked a train station, a Jewish cultural center, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where Sehgal was attending a wedding.[4] Approximately 170 people were massacred and the hotel was left burning for days while Indian authorities attempted to track down the terrorists whereabouts.[4] Among the 170 killed there were 18 foreigners of US, German, Canadian, Israeli, Britain, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Thailand, Australian, and Singapore citizenship.[5] Nine of the 10 terrorists were killed during the attacks.[5] Ajmal Kasab, a 21-year-old Pakistani, was apprehended alive.[4]
Context
[edit]
This was India's worst terrorist event since 1993 Mumbai bombings where 257 were killed.[5] The policemen at the scene were armed with pistols, while the militants had AK-47s and various explosives.[4] These attacks convinced the Indian government to supply more police officers, better guns, and more training on how to handle different types of terrorist threats.[4] George W. Bush, President of the United States, pledged the full support of the U.S in the apprehension of the terrorists.[5]
Impact
[edit]Sabina Sehgal Saikia was known for her reviews of food and restaurants. She began her career in journalism through her membership with ‘Spicmacay’, a global, non-political organization that promotes culture to young students. She became involved with the Times of India while working on the 150th anniversary.[3] Sehgal later switched her direction as she became a writer who covered the CBI, also known as the Central Bureau of Investigation in India.[3] This career path finally landed Sabina a position of editor of a popular Indian paper called ‘Delhi Times’.[3] Her work with ‘Delhi Times’ is where Indian journalism began to recognize the talents she had for reviewing restaurants.[3] Sabina's knack for analyzing the ambience, service, value for money and, food of restaurants made her a famous food critic that could determine the future of any eateries in India.[3] When Sabina perished in the attacks on Mumbai her impact as a journalist was renowned from all over the capital even from people who did not know her personally.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Indian victims include financier, journalist, actor's sister, police". CNN. 29 November 2008.
- ^ a b "Media mourns loss of Sabina Sehgal Saikia".
- ^ a b c d e f g "Leading food writer Sabina Sehgal Saikia no more". Zee News.
- ^ a b c d e ABC News. "Mumbai Attacks Anniversary: Victims and Cops Speak Out". ABC News.
- ^ a b c d "Mumbai begins to heal after rampage". hindustantimes.
- ^ "Sabina Sehgal Saikia - - The Economic Times". The Economic Times.