New Delhi: Veteran journalist Vinod Dua passed away at 67 years in his New Delhi residence on Saturday. His daughter, Mallika Dua, took to social media to confirm the news of his demise. His final rites will take place in the Lodhi crematorium on Sunday.
The Actor-comedian shared a story on Instagram and wrote, “Our irreverent, fearless and extraordinary father, Vinod Dua, has passed away. He lived an inimitable life, rising from the refugee colonies of Delhi to the peak of journalistic excellence for over 42 years, always speaking truth to power. He is now with our mom, his beloved wife Chinna, in heaven where they will continue to sing, cook, travel, and drive each other up the wall.”
Earlier, Vinod Dua was beyond a critical state and was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He was struggling with post-corona complications that led to deteriorating health and frequenting hospitals since April 2021.
Mallika Dua also shared a photograph of the late journalist with a caption that read, “There will never be another like you. My first and best friend. My Papaji. Very few live as large and glorious a life as you did. Always up for a good time. Always ready for a challenge. Loved a good fight and was always there for his children – a self-made, lion-hearted legend who roared in rebellion till his last breath. He feared nothing, least of all death. Thank you for being the best dad in the world. I’m sure you and mamma are eating chapli kebab and discussing, ‘Why does Mallika pick fights with everyone? How will she manage?’The most courageous, irreverent, compassionate, and funny man I know. What a guy.”
“An ordinary boy born in Nabi Karim took on the high and mighty and won till the end. Padmashree Vinod Dua. Even at your weakest, you gave Indian journalism a landmark judgment. No journalist will be randomly slapped with a sedition case because Vinod Dua fought for them, as he always has. Heaven is just so lucky-it has my entire life. We won’t live in fear and grief forever. We will live with pride and gratitude because look at the extraordinary parents we got. I would not trade my destiny for anything, for it gave me Vinod and Chinna. Nobody gets double lucky. Bohot Umda,” Dua added.
Vinod Dua was a pioneer in Hindi broadcast journalism with stints in Doordarshan and NDTV, who lost his Radiologist wife, Padmavati (Chinna) Dua, to coronavirus in June this year.
(Avya Mathur)