Award-winning journalist Kamal Khan, who was associated with news channel NDTV for over 30 years, died of a heart attack at his home in Lucknow on Friday.
He was 61.
According to the journalist’s family, he woke up around 4 am with mild chest pain. He took an antacid misdiagnosing it as acidity and went back to sleep. He woke up around 6 am and again complained of chest pain. His wife Ruchi Kumar, who is also a senior TV journalist, called up a family friend who said he would arrive with a doctor. But Khan died by the time they arrived.
The journalist was buried around 5 pm.
Journalists, and politicians, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati, mourned Khan’s death.
“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed deep sorrow on the demise of senior journalist Kamal Khan. Praying for the peace of the departed soul, the Chief Minister expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members,” read a statement from the Chief Minister’s office.
“The passing of Kamal Khanji, who emerged as a serious voice of journalism, is very sad. The deep voice of his truth will stay forever,” Akhilesh Yadav said while visiting Khan’s home to pay his tribute.
Khan was the executive editor at NDTV and had received the Ramnath Goenka Award in 2010 and the Ganesh Shanker Vidyarthi Award from the President of India.
A day before his death, he reported on the upcoming UP elections.
