A journalist who followed 'dictates of his conscience' passes away

One of India's most respected media persons, Kuldip Nayar, has been known as a passionate advocate of peace

Some people never hang up their boots and some, like Kuldip Nayar, never put down their pens. The veteran journalist died on Thursday at age 95, working till the end — his last column appearing in the Lokmat Times in the morning, hours after he breathed his last around 12.30 am in a Delhi hospital.

The prolific journalist, columnist and author, known not just as one of India's most respected media persons but also as a passionate advocate for peace and Press freedom, discussed the immigrants as vote banks in his last article, focussing on the northeast. He ended with advice to the BJP to not ignore the problems of the region, pointing out that Assam has 14 of 25 seats in the northeast.

It was a fitting end for the journalist, who was born in 1923 in Pakistan, and began his career in journalism in the Urdu language press before going on to serve as editor of several newspapers. It was a career with many highs for the scribe, who also served a stint as India's high commissioner to UK and was appointed to the Rajya Sabha.

Politicians and friends attend Nayar's funeral
The mortal remains of noted journalist and author Kuldip Nayar, were consigned to flames, as grieving friends, families, admirers and a host of public figures bid farewell to a man, who was often described as an 'institution in himself'.

His funeral at the Lodhi Crematorium was attended by former Vice-President Hamid Ansari, former PM Manmohan Singh, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, photographer Raghu Rai, artist Jatin Das, and several journalists and former colleagues. Raghu Rai, who worked with him during the 60s and 70s at the 'The Statesman', described his departure as an "end of an era".

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