Vinod Dua, a prominent journalist, died after a long illness caused by a Covid infection, according to his daughter Mallika Dua, who confirmed the news on social media. On the recommendation of physicians, the 67-year-old journalist was transferred to the Apollo Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in Delhi last week. “Our irreverent, fearless, and magnificent father, Vinod Dua, has passed away,” comic-actor Mallika Dua wrote on Instagram, adding that the cremation would take place tomorrow at noon at the Lodhi crematorium in the capital.
Mr. Dua, who worked for Doordarshan and NDTV, was a pioneer in Hindi journalism. He was most recently renowned for his political comments on the digital media platforms The Wire and HW News in web shows.
He was the first electronic media journalist to get the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which he received in 1996.
In 2008, the Indian government honoured him with the Padma Shri award for journalism. In June 2017, the Mumbai Press Club honoured Vinod with the RedInk Award, which was presented to him by Devendra Fadnavis, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, for his lifetime achievement in the area of journalism.
“Our irreverent, fearless and extraordinary father, Vinod Dua has passed away. He lived an inimitable life, rising from the refugee colonies of Delhi to the peak of journalistic excellence for over 42 years, always, always speaking truth to power. He is now with our mom, his beloved wife Chinna in heaven where they will continue to sing, cook, travel, and drive each other up the wall,” Mallika Dua wrote in her Instagram story.
Following a Covid infection during the second wave earlier this year, Vinod Dua and his wife, radiologist Padmavati Dua, were hospitalized in Gurugram. Ms. Dua died in June, and Mr. Dua has been battling his health ever since. Vinod Dua died in New Delhi on December 4, 2021, only a few months after his wife.
