New Delhi: Sankarshan Thakur, one of India’s most respected political journalists and editor of The Telegraph, passed away on Monday at a hospital in Gurgaon after a prolonged illness. He was 63.
Born in Patna in 1962, Thakur inherited the craft of journalism from his father, Janardhan Thakur, a senior journalist.
After studying at St. Xavier’s in Patna and later in Delhi, he pursued political science at Hindu College, Delhi University.
His professional journey began in 1984 with SUNDAY magazine, marking the start of a four-decade career that combined sharp reportage with distinctive prose.
Thakur covered some of the most defining events of contemporary India, including the Bhopal gas tragedy, the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and the Sri Lankan civil war.
Over the years, his writing stood out for its depth, clarity, and human touch.
He was the recipient of several honours, among them the Prem Bhatia Award for political reporting in 2001 and the Appan Menon Fellowship in 2003.
Beyond journalism, Thakur authored acclaimed works of political biography such as Subaltern Saheb on Lalu Prasad Yadav, Single Man: The Life and Times of Nitish Kumar of Bihar, and The Brothers Bihari, a dual portrait of Bihar’s two tallest leaders.
Tributes poured in from across the political and media spectrum.
The Press Club of India described him as a fearless voice whose incisive analysis and dedication to truth would be sorely missed.
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Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Thakur’s passing had silenced “one of the staunchest defenders of a liberal, democratic and plural India.” RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha called him “one of the finest chroniclers of truth, courage and complexity,” adding that his journalism always stayed rooted in people’s struggles rather than proximity to power.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor remembered him as “one of the greats,” whose writings brought alive the nuances of India’s politics with empathy and insight.
Raj Kamal Jha, Chief Editor of The Indian Express, described Thakur as both a friend and a conscience for the journalistic community.
Thakur is survived by his wife Sona, daughter Jahan, and son Ayushman.
