Keeping the flame alight at times of crisis

Chinese philosopher and sage Confucius termed the age of 30 as a period of intellectual maturity, as it signifies that the person has his "feet firmly planted on the ground". But for the Shanghai Business Daily, which turned 30 recently, the experience proved to be a bitter one as it saw the ground under its feet being swept away by a tidal wave.

What took most of us by surprise was that there were no visible signs of the troubles at the publishing house, until it made an announcement in late August that it was shutting shop from September onwards. For many of us, Shanghai Business Daily was a beacon of sorts as it was the first traditional media outlet in China that introduced a joint-stock system.

On a personal note, the news came as a shock as the venerable publication housed several friends, many I could count on for my professional requirements.