Ghosh replaces Ratnesar as Time's world editor

NEW YORK: Aparisim 'Bobby' Ghosh , Time magazine's Baghdad bureau chief, has been promoted as world editor. He is the first non-American as well as the first Indian to hold the important title at the magazine.

Ghosh takes over from Romesh Ratnesar, who has held the post since 2004. Ratnesar, who grew up in Hayward, California, is going on book leave and will be back in January next in an important new role.

Ghosh has been with the magazine's Baghdad bureau for four years. During his time covering the war and occupation, he has been caught in crossfire and seen two colleagues badly wounded by a roadside bomb. His compelling and widely-read essay about life in Baghdad, 'Life in Hell: A Baghdad Diary,' was Time's cover piece in August 2006.

Time editor Richard Stengel's memo announcing Ghosh's new assignment, reads: "Bobby's extraordinary work from Iraq and his dedicated support of Time's Baghdad bureau has been inspiring to us all."

Based in New York, Ghosh will be responsible for editing the magazine's international coverage.

When asked about the move to Time's headquarters, Ghosh replied, "It is the kind of offer you don't refuse, the chance to shape Time's coverage of world news. But it was hard to give up Baghdad, especially my colleagues there. Luckily, my new job will allow me to travel to Iraq from time to time."

While he thinks the coverage of world affairs in the print media in the US, for instance in New York Times and Washington Post, is adequate, 'there's too little of it on TV, and what little there is tends to be flimsy or frivolous'.

Ghosh joined Time Asia in 1997 as senior editor based in Hong Kong, where he was a specialist on South Asian affairs and covered assignments in politics, war, sports, business and technology. He then moved to London as senior editor of Time Europe.