Amit Saigal passed away in Goa on Thursday, January 5. He was 47 years old. Saigal was the founder and editor of Rock Street Journal magazine, a venture he started in Allahabad in January 1993. RSJ was, at the time, the only print magazine in the country dedicated to rock music (here’s an interview from 2005 with Saigal about RSJ, that we ran a few years ago), both homegrown and international. While the magazine had its ups and downs, it embodied Saigal’s passion for music and represented one of the few longstanding outposts of Indian counter culture. Saigal was also the man behind the Great Indian Rock gig series (other events that RSJ was associated with included Pubrockfest and Global Groove) which has, over the years, hosted some incredible Indian and international rock and metal bands. Long time scenesters will also fondly remember the GIR compilation series which, on cassette and CD, exposed hundreds of young scene kids to then unknown bands from around the country.
Our sincerest condolences go out to Saigal’s family and friends. His death is a great loss to the Indian indie music scene, one that owes him a significant debt for where it has reached today.
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