Veteran journalist and author Vinod Mehta passed away after prolonged illness in the Capital on Sunday.The founder-Editor of 'Outlook' magazine breathed his last at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was admitted.
Mr. Mehta, 72, who had founded the Outlook Magazine and served as its Editor-in-Chief, last held the post of editorial Chairman of the publication.
An eminent political commentator, Mr. Mehta was served as the editor of several publications, including The Pioneer, The Sunday Observer, The Independent and The Indian Post.
He died of multi-organ failure, AIIMS spokesperson Amit Gupta said. Born in Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) in 1942, Mehta was known for his bold journalism. He was the Editor-in-Chief of 'Outlook' magazine till February 2012.
Prior to his stint with 'Outlook', he had successfully launched 'The Pioneer' newspaper in Delhi nearly three decades back. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death. "Frank & direct in his opinions, Vinod Mehta will be remembered as a fine journalist & writer.
Vinod Mehta
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| Vinod Mehta | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 31, 1942[1] Rawalpindi, British India |
| Died | March 8, 2015 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts |
| Alma mater | University of Lucknow |
| Employer | Outlook India |
| Known for | Journalist, Radia tapes controversy in media. |
| Spouse(s) | Sumita Paul |
Vinod Mehta (1942 - 8 March 2015) was until February 1, 2012, the editor-in-chief of Outlook India.
He was at present an advisor to the magazine.
§Life[edit]
Mehta was born in Rawalpindi, in West-Punjab of undivided India. His family migrated to India when he was three. He grew up as an army boy from a Punjabi refugee family in the syncretic culture of Lucknow of the 1950s—an experience that turned him into an unflagging 'secularist'. He attended La Martinere school in Lucknow and the university there. Leaving home with a BA third class degree, he experimented with a string of jobs, including that of a factory hand in suburban Britain, before accepting an offer to edit Debonair in 1974, a men's magazine.
Mehta lived in New Delhi. He was married to Sumita Paul, a journalist who has worked for the Pioneer and the SundayTimes of India. He also has a daughter from an old affair from this younger days. He said nobody, other than his wife, knew about his daughter until he wrote about it in his memoir. He said he spoke to his wife and she encouraged him to write about it.[2]
Vinod Mehta passed away in New Delhi on 8th March 2015.
§Career[edit]
Mehta became one of India's most influential editors by launching a number of successful publications such as the Sunday Observer, Indian Post, The Independent, The Pioneer (Delhi edition) and, finally, Outlook.[3] He was editorial chairman of the Outlook Group.[citation needed]
Vinod Mehta has authored a biography of Meena Kumari and Sanjay Gandhi, and published (in 2001) a collection of his articles under the title Mr Editor, How Close Are You to the PM? His much acclaimed memoir,[1] Lucknow Boy, was published in 2011.
Mehta was a TV Panelist and frequently appeared on TV shows like Newshour on Times Now and India at 9 at CNN-IBN. He was called upon by News anchors as a senior journalist and was sought after for his analysis of major issues and scenarios.
§Major works[edit]
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
- Bombay: A Private View (1971), ASIN B0006C8DMO
- The Sanjay Story (2012), ISBN 978-9350295816
- Meena Kumari (1972), ISBN 978-9350296257
- Mr Editor, how close are you to the PM? (1999), ISBN 978-8122005332
- Lucknow Boy: A Memoir (2010), ISBN 978-0670085293
- Editor Unplugged (2014)
§References[edit]
- ^ a b Singh, Kushwant (2012-01-28). "Of the grumbling Lucknow boy and John Keats". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
- ^ "Lucknow boy comes to Chennai, albeit late". Firstpost. 2012-01-28. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
- ^ Alikhan, Anwar (3 Dec 2011). "Vinod Mehta, unedited". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 Aug 2014.