Sankarshan Thakur, Journalist Who Donned Many Hats, Dies

Veteran journalist Sankarshan Thakur, a noted print journalist known for his sharp political analysis, passed away at the age of 63 in a hospital in Gurugram following a prolonged illness.

Born in Patna in 1962, Thakur followed in the footsteps of his father, senior journalist Janardhan Thakur, and chose journalism as his career.

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

After graduating from college in Delhi, he began working with SUNDAY magazine in 1984, stepping into the vast field of journalism.

Thakur held a degree in political science from Hindu College, Delhi University.

In a career spanning over four decades, Thakur worked with several prominent news organizations, including The Indian Express, Tehelka, and The Telegraph, where he rose to the position of Editor.

For much of his journalism career, Thakur focused on the politics of his home state, Bihar.

Thakur’s fame also rests on his credentials as an acclaimed author. He wrote books on political personalities in Bihar, including Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. His book, Subaltern Saheb, is a political biography of former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad. His other works include Single Man: The Life and Times of Nitish Kumar of Bihar and The Brothers Bihari, a political diptych on Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar.

His posts on social media are a reflection of his deep thinking capabilities.

His last post on X read, "Why the key character of wars is ugliness and why memorials often don’t do justice to their memory."

The Editors Guild of India expressed condolences on the passing of journalist and author Sankarshan Thakur.

“A fearless ground reporter, he brought to life some of India’s most defining events—from the Kargil war front, the Bhopal tragedy, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and Indira Gandhi’s assassination to the complexities of Kashmir, the Sri Lankan civil war, and socio-political currents in Bihar and Pakistan,” the Guild said in a statement.

Condoling the passing of the veteran journalist, the Press Club of India wrote in a post on X, “We’ve lost a fearless voice in journalism. His sharp political analysis and unwavering commitment to the truth will be deeply missed.”

Thakur was remembered not only for his analysis but also for his journalistic integrity by many, including political leaders and colleagues.

For his noteworthy contributions to journalism, Thakur received the Prem Bhatia Award for Excellence in Political Journalism in 2001 and the Appan Menon Fellowship in 2003.

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