Girish Nikam anchored his programme on media freedom befor he let himself go.
NEW DELHI : Senior journalist and TV anchor Girish Nikam died in New Delhi on Monday following a massive heart attack. Nikam, 59, complained of uneasiness after a programme shoot in the studios and was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he breathed his last, according to his associates.
Nikam started his journalistic career with “Star of Mysore” in Mysuru and later shifted to Indian Express, Bengaluru. He had worked in other media organisations including India Today, Deccan Chronicle and News Today before doing programmes for Rajya Sabha TV.
Nikam’s body is being taken to Bengaluru on Tuesday for the last rites. Prasar Bharati Chairman A Suryaprakash was among others who condoled the death of Nikam.
Suryaprakash said Nikam was an extremely versatile mediaperson who traversed the worlds of print, television and social media. Information and Broadcasting minister M Venakaiah Naidu today paid tributes to Nikam.
Condoling his death, Naidu said he was saddened at the death of Nikam who had made great contribution to the profession of journalism. He also visited the RML hospital, where 59-year-old Nikam had breathed his last.
Remembring Nikam his close friend Parsa Venkteshwara Rao Jr said-Girish Nikam had suddenly passed away this evening at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital today evening. He died in the same spirit of derring-do that he lived. He anchored his programme on media freedom befor he let himself go.
He was the goodhearted rebel but more importantly he was accessible to the younger people in the profession. His colleagues at Rajya Sabha TV were fond of him. He was that kind of a guy. When Bhavdeep and I visited him in his flat in Greater NOIDA after he returned after his miraculous recovery from a near-fatal heart attack in New York last year.
He said that even at the desperate moment when it seemed to him he was not able to breathe, he said that he did not take the name of God and he was happy he held out. That was the kind of chap, willing to take on life and death.
Senior Journalist Vinod Sharma said his show “The Big Picture” was rated among the best by discerning viewers interested in serous debates. While the profession lost a journalist who transited seamlessly from print to the moving picture, I’ve lost a very dear friend.
He had developed a heart condition while on an official visit to the US some months ago but could recover back to health in a hospital there. Today evening, he walked out of the studio with a chest pain. And then walked away forever from the RML hospital where he was rushed for medical help.
