Kolkata/Patna – September 8, 2025: Veteran journalist and editor of The Telegraph, Sankarshan Thakur, passed away today at the age of 63 after a prolonged illness. The news of his demise has prompted an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the media and political spectrum.
Thakur,born in Patna in 1962 began his journalism career with Sunday magazine in 1984 and went on to hold senior editorial roles at major publications such as The Indian Express, Tehelka, and The Telegraph, where he became Editor in 2023.
He was widely respected for his fearless ground reporting on some of India’s most defining events,from the Kargil War and Kashmir’s political unrest to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
As an accomplished author, Thakur wrote several widely read political biographies, including Subaltern Saheb (on Lalu Prasad Yadav), Single Man: The Life and Times of Nitish Kumar, and The Brothers Bihari.
His dedication to journalism earned him notable recognitions such as the Prem Bhatia Award in 2001 and the Appan Menon Fellowship in 2003.
Following the news that Sankarshan Thakur passes away, politicians, fellow journalists, and readers alike have expressed their sorrow. Many hailed him as a brilliant writer, a principled editor, and one of the strongest defenders of liberal, democratic, and pluralistic values in Indian journalism.
