SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 13: Dhanbad’s senior and highly respected journalist, Prof. Anil Ashutosh, passed away on Monday evening at the age of 61. With a career spanning four decades (1985–2025), he made significant contributions to both national and regional newspapers in English and Hindi.
He was undergoing treatment for liver cirrhosis for the past six months before his death at a Delhi hospital around 8 PM.
A Dual Role in Education and Journalism
In addition to his journalistic endeavors, Prof. Ashutosh was the Head of the Department of Physics at Sindri College, which is part of Binod Bihari Mahto Koylanchal University (BBMKU) in Dhanbad.
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His journey in journalism began after the death of his father, Prof. RN Pandey, the founder reporter of Awaz and Head of the Psychology Department at Sindri College. Anil Ashutosh took over as the Sindri correspondent for Awaz, a leading Hindi daily in South Bihar.
Contributions to Leading Newspapers
Throughout his career, Prof. Ashutosh contributed to various respected publications, including the English daily The New Republic, published from Dhanbad and Ranchi from 1988 to 1991.
He also served as the Sindri correspondent for The Times of India (Patna edition) until his last days.
Additionally, he worked with the Hindi daily Chamakta Aina, which continues to be published in Jamshedpur.
Senior journalist Brajbhushan Singh, under whom Anil Ashutosh began his journalistic journey in 1985-86, described him as a person whose integrity remained untainted despite working in the coal belt and being involved in local and national media for four decades.
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He said, “Aniljee’s face remained clean, which is a remarkable achievement for anyone in Dhanbad.”
Prof. Ashutosh leaves behind a wife and three sons. His last rites will be performed in Haridwar.
