Dua, a pioneer of Hindi broadcast journalism, contracted COVID earlier this year.
Veteran Indian journalist Vinod Dua has died at the age of 67, his daughter confirmed on social media.
“Our disrespectful, fearless and extraordinary father, Vinod Dua has passed away,” Mallika Dua, an actor and cartoonist, announced her father’s death in a post on Instagram on Saturday.
Dua, a pioneer in Hindi broadcasting journalism, gained notoriety in the 1980s and began his career at the state broadcaster, Doordarshan, moving to other outlets including NDTV and the Indian digital news platform The Wire.
“He led an inimitable life, rising for more than 42 years from the refugee colonies of Delhi to the pinnacle of journalistic excellence, and always, always speaking the truth to power,” his daughter wrote.
Dua and his wife Padmavati “Chinna” Dua gained COVID-19 during India’s devastating second wave in April-May. Chinna Dua died in June. The veteran journalist has not held up well since. He was moved to the ICU from Apollo Hospital on Monday.
Dua has been overloaded with several awards throughout his career, including in 1996 when he won the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri for Journalism in 2008.
‘The biggest’
Friends and colleagues used social media to pay tribute to Dua. Prannoy Roy, co-founder of NDTV, called him “the greatest of his time”.
“An amazing talent that I admired and respected – and from whom I learned a lot in the years we worked closely together,” he tweeted.
Mourns deeply over the loss of Vinod. He was not only one of the greatest, he was THE greatest of his time. I have always said that: THE greatest A wonderful talent that I admired and respected – and from whom I learned a lot in the many years we have worked closely together Rest in peace my friend
– Prannoy Roy (@PrannoyRoyNDTV) 4 December 2021
Arfa Khanum Sherwani, an editor at The Wire, said Dua was “more than a colleague, he was a friend, philosopher and guide to me”. “There was no one like him.”
The death of Vinod Dua, the pioneer of TV news in India, is a personal loss.
I worked with him in NDTV & The Wire. But more than a colleague, he was a friend, philosopher and guide to me.
There was no one like him, there will never be one.
End of an era!
Khuda Hafiz, Dua Sb! pic.twitter.com/NkjNy9n7RW– Arfa Khanum Sherwani (@khanumarfa) 4 December 2021
Dua was accused of rioting in 2020 by a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Even at your weakest, you gave Indian Journalism a landmark judgment. No journalist will be randomly slapped with a riot case, because Vinod Dua fought that battle for them, as he has always done,” Mallika said with reference to the now resolved case.
Indian Supreme Court dismissed the charges against Vinod in June this year.