Journalist and
writer (b. 1929, Istanbul – d. 1 February 1979, Istanbul). He completed his primary
education at Galatasaray High School (1948). He left his higher education,
which he had started at İstanbul University, Faculty of Law unfinished. He worked
as a reporter and secretary for the newspapers Yeni Sabah (1948-1949)
and Yeni İstanbul (1949-1950), as the Head of the Editorial Department
at İstanbul Ekspres (1950-1953) and at Milliyet newspaper, where
he worked for the longest period (1954-1979), as the Head of General Publishing
and head columnist. He was well-known at Milliyet for his interviews, as
well as his leader columns.
He helped
launch Milliyet Sanat magazine and Hey magazine. He became one of the foremost
names in the press and was the Head of the Turkish Press Institute (1972) and
member of the Executive Board of the International Press Institute. He was shot
to death on February 1 1979 by a terrorist named Mehmet Ali Ağca. After his
death, various contests were held in his name; his name was given to the street
where he was shot and to some sports centers. However, the answer to the
question as to who was behind the shooting has been left unanswered despite the
many years that have passed since his death.
WORKS:
Afrika (Africa, 1955), İhtilalin İç Yüzü (The Inner Face of the Revolution, with Ö. S. Coşar, 1965), İnönü Atatürk’ü Anlatıyor (İnönü Tells About Atatürk, 1968), Liderler Diyor ki (The Leaders Say, 1969), Dünyanın Dört Bucağından (From All Over the World, 1971), Sadun Tanju / Eski Dostlar (Sadun Tanju / Old Friends, with Ara Güler’s photographs, 2002).
REFERENCE: Türkiye Ansiklopedisi (c.3, s.1078, 1974), Cumhuriyet Dönemi Türkiye Ansiklopedisi (c.1, s.209, 1983), Büyük Larousse (c. 9, s. 5734, 1986), Ana Britannica (c. 11, s. 598, 1987), Şükran Kurdakul / Şairler ve Yazarlar Sözlüğü (gen. 6. bas. 1999), Ülkü Tamer / Yaşamak Hatırlamaktır (2002), İhsan Işık / Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006).