Ved Bhasin, chairman, Kashmir Times, who breathed his last on Thursday at Jammu at the age of 86, is credited with institutionalizing journalism in Jammu and Kashmir. Many a big names in Indian journalism today owe their careers to Bhasin, who was popularly called Vedji.

Apart from nuances of journalism, he taught many of us - who were fortunate enough to cut their teeth in journalism under his tutelage – life lessons to be a good journalist. Here, are 10 key lessons that I, as a young journalist, have learnt from Vedji:

• Carry your convictions to the hilt.
• Be courageous and bold
• Be a free mind yet remain open to criticism
• Never get overawed by powerful people
• Money alone cannot earn you respect or satisfaction
• Stand by your friends
• Always stand with the underdog
• Media should be a voice of dissent against the powerful – be it governments or oligarchs.
• Give space to new talents and nurture them.
• Make working hard a habit