Noted journalist Dileep Padgaonkar passed away in Pune, aged 72.
The death occurred after a heart attack and multi-organ failure, said Dr. Sanjay Pathare, director, medical services, Ruby Hall Clinic, where the veteran journalist was admitted four days ago.
Mr. Padgaonkar was born in Pune in 1944. He matriculated from St. Vincent’s High School and graduated from Fergusson College, two of the city’s hallowed educational institutions and a doctorate in humanities from the Sorbonne in France in June 1968 before commencing upon his career in journalism.
Fluent in French, he joined the Times of India as its Paris correspondent, serving it in various capacities before being appointed its editor in 1988. He held the post for six years.
Mr. Padgaonkar served with the UNESCO in Bangkok and Paris from 1978 to 1986.
A dyed-in-wool liberal, Mr. Padgaonkar spoke passionately, eloquently and tirelessly against communalism, Hindu nationalism and terrorism among other pressing issues of the day as reflected in his books like When Bombay burned (which he edited, on the 1992-3 Mumbai riots) and numerous essays and articles.
He was equally passionate about the Arts, penning a book on Italian cinema maestro Roberto Rossellini’s eventful sojourn in India, titled Under her Spell (Penguin, 2008).
