New Delhi: Former Rajya Sabha MP and senior journalist Chandan Mitra died late Wednesday night in Delhi. He was 65.
Sharing the news on Twitter on Thursday morning, his son Kushan Mitra said: "Since it is already out there; Dad passed away late last night. He had been suffering for a while."
https://twitter.com/kushanmitra/status/1433265553045524480?s=20
Mourning the sudden demise of the senior journalist, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Chandan Mitra would be remembered for his "intellect and insights".
Taking to his official Twitter handle on Thursday, the PM wrote: "Shri Chandan Mitra Ji will be remembered for his intellect and insights. He distinguished himself in the world of media as well as politics. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."
Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta also expressed grief over Mitra's death. In a Twitter post, Dasgupta said that he lost his "closest friend".
In a Twitter post, the Rajya Sabha MP shared an image from a school trip in 1972 and said, "I lost my closest friend—editor of Pioneer & former MP Chandan Mitra—this morning. We were together as students of La Martiniere & went on to St Stephen’s & Oxford. We joined journalism at the same time & shared the excitement of Ayodhya & the saffron wave."
Considered to be close to BJP veteran L K Advani, Chandan Mitra began his political career in 2003. He was a nominated Rajya Sabha member who got elected to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh. In July 2018, Mitra resigned from the BJP and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Editor and Managing Director of The Pioneer newspaper, Mitra had earlier worked with The Statesman, The Times of India, The Sunday Observer and the Hindustan Times during his journalistic career.
Mitra is survived by his wife and two sons.