New Delhi: Veteran journalist and NDTV’s Lucknow bureau chief Kamal Khan has passed away at the age of 62, after suffering a heart attack at his residence, the news channel said Friday. Tributes then began pouring in from major figures nationwide.
We are all devastated by the loss of Kamal Khan, an NDTV veteran and one of the country’s best journalists. pic.twitter.com/NZSS2bQOR5
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 14, 2022
“[Khan] will be remembered as a legendary reporter whose work stood out for its perceptiveness and integrity, and the way in which he delivered hard truths with poetic dexterity,” NDTV added on its website.
Khan was a past recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award and the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Award for journalism.
In a conversation with ThePrint, ex-NDTV journalist and India Today National Affairs editor Rahul Shrivastava reminisced about his former colleague, calling him a “typical Lucknow-ite” and a “very helpful chap” who “remained a reporter at heart” until his last days.
“Even at 60-something, Kamal was a great storyteller, making visuals talk from the field. We have very few storytellers of that kind today,” Shrivastava said.
His words were echoed by the tributes pouring in from prominent politicians across party lines, such as Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri of the BJP, former UP CM and BSP supremo Mayawati, Delhi CM and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi.
We belong to him, & to him we return.
The passing away of senior journalist Sh Kamal Khan Ji is deeply saddening & leaves a huge void. My sincerest condolences to his family, friends, admirers & colleagues.
May God give them strength to bear this irreparable loss. pic.twitter.com/Ttwlwg5IiM
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) January 14, 2022
एनडीटीवी से जुड़े प्रतिष्ठित व जाने-माने टीवी पत्रकार कमाल ख़ान की अचानक ही निधन के ख़बर अति-दुःखद तथा पत्रकारिता जगत की अपूर्णीय क्षति। उनके परिवार व उनके सभी चाहने वालों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदना। कुदरत सबको इस दुःख को सहन करने की शक्ति दे, ऐसी कुदरत से कामना।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) January 14, 2022
बेहद दुखद। मशहूर पत्रकार कमाल ख़ान जी का आकस्मिक निधन पत्रकारिता जगत के लिए एक बड़ी क्षति है। ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि उनके परिवार को ये दुख सहने की शक्ति दें।
विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि ? https://t.co/Gv79wZftAd
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 14, 2022
वरिष्ठ पत्रकार श्री कमाल खान जी के निधन की खबर सुनकर स्तब्ध हूं। कुछ दिनों पहले ही उनसे मुलाकात के दौरान ढेर सारी बातें हुई थीं। उन्होंने पत्रकारिता में सच्चाई व जनहित जैसे मूल्यों को जिंदा रखा।
श्री कमाल खान जी के परिजनों के प्रति मेरी गहरी शोक संवेदनाएं।
विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 14, 2022
Others in the media industry, such as Rajdeep Sardesai, Rana Ayyub and Prashant Kumar also paid tribute to the Lucknow-based journalist, expressing their sense of loss and shock.
Terribly sad news to report this morning. Kamal Khan, NDTV’s fine reporter from Lucknow and a dear dear friend passed away this morning. I will miss you dearly my friend and our long chats. Lots of memories! Devastated. Om shanti?? pic.twitter.com/TAnFbuwqf4
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 14, 2022
This is devastating. So many of us would wait for Kamal Khan's stories, his poetic voiceovers, his genteel story telling. In the world of TRP's, he gave sanity to TV journalism. You will be missed sir. Innalillahi wa inni alayhi rajeoon @kamalkhan_NDTV
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 14, 2022
Woke up to a devastating news of our dear Kamal Khan sir passing away in Lucknow. A seasoned journalist and a man of words, he was doing his job till late last evening following which he suffered a heart attack. Can’t describe the loss, praying for well being of his family …
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) January 14, 2022
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Started by freelancing on ‘hardly any salary’
Khan lost his father at a young age and was raised by his mother. He “started small” as a journalist, freelancing on “hardly any salary”, said Shrivastava, who worked with Khan at NDTV since 1999. Khan had started out as a print reporter and writer, and later learnt how to report for television.
During their time as colleagues, Khan and Shrivastava reported together on major stories in Uttar Pradesh, such as the murder of Madhumita Shukla, for which politician Amarmani Tripathi was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
According to Shrivastava, Khan and he were “prime witnesses” whose evidence was crucial, as “both testified” in the case.
“Kamal and I worked together during a phase where there were less fears about who knows us. It was not only about being factually correct; it was about being just. I was an English journalist, he was Hindi, but we both loved Urdu poetry and travelled for every story together,” Shrivastava said.
Remained ‘grounded as a reporter’
Overall, Shrivastava added, Khan “did very well as a journalist”, winning prestigious awards and forming the kind of peer group that is “disappearing” in the industry.
“To be known for writing is the ultimate as a journalist; we all started from newspapers. In that era, how you wrote was more critical than your face flashing or your byline flashing,” he said.
“At NDTV, I used to say Kamal should be put in charge of young journalists trying to learn — very few people are doing that kind of work. He remained a reporter at heart, over time it catches up that you want to become an editor, but it’s difficult to remain grounded as a reporter, today you’re out in the field, tomorrow morning you’re gone,” Shrivastava said.
(Edited by Saikat Niyogi)
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