Navhind Times

Panaji, Sep 19: Noted journalist and chief reporter of ‘The Navhind Times’, Umesh Mahambre, expired on Monday in Mumbai following a cardiac arrest. He was 49.

Mahambre, who was also the president of Goa Union of Journalists, was ailing for some time and was taken to Mumbai for treatment, where he breathed his last. He is survived by wife Tanuja.

Umesh Mahambre (pic Rajtilak Naik)

He joined ‘The Navhind Times’ in 1986 as sub-editor and went on to rise to the post of chief reporter.

His body will be cremated on Tuesday at St Inez crematorium. The funeral cortege will leave at 4 p.m, from his residence at Government Quarters, St Inez.

Mahambre was associated with various social and cultural organisations and was a regular contributor to All India Radio and Doordarshan. He was also a dramatist.

The death of Mahambre has been condoled by the chief minister Pratapsingh Rane. In his message, Rane has said that Mahambre was an active, sincere and dedicated journalist, who did not lose his temper.

Further in his condolence message, the chief minister stated that nobody expected him to depart so soon. He also offered condolences to Mahambre’s wife Tanuja.

The leader of opposition, Manohar Parrikar, has expressed grief over the untimely death of Mahambre. In his condolence message, Parrikar has said that he was an unbiased journalist and that he was not only a journalist, but a good friend of people.

MP Shantaram Naik has expressed his shock at the sad demise of Mahambre. In a statement sent from New Delhi, Naik has said that Mahambre was a sincere and hard working journalist and was quite interested in developmental, as also, art and culture based stories apart from the normal political news.

The state Chief Secretary, J P Singh has also condoled the death of Mahambre. In his message Mr Singh stated that Mahambre had all qualities required for a journalist and that he served his profession with dedication and professed avocation fearlessly with unbiased attitude in reporting the facts.

G R Singbal, a senior journalist, has said that he was sad to hear that Mahambre died at such young age. He described him as an endearing person who was always playful and a nice human being, who made friends with all those in whose contact he came. He also said that all his friends will miss him.

Another senior journalist, Jagadish Wagh has said that Mahambre’s death was a personal loss for him. He went on to add that he not only was an activist in journalist field but also on Konkani stage front (especially children’s theatre). I never imagined that he would pass away so soon.

Gurudas Sawal, another senior journalist and former president of GUJ, has said that it is very sad to hear that Umesh was no longer alive. “He was like my younger brother and possessed forgiving nature which was liked by all,” he said.

Other leaders like education minister Luizinho Faleiro, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Ravi Naik and state Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajendra Arlekar have also condoled his death. Mr Naik had visited Mahambre in the hospital in Mumbai last week, where he was undergoing treatment.

The GUJ has condoled the death of its president at an emergency meeting of its executive committee. The GUJ members expressed shock and sadness at the untimely death of Mahambre.

The death of Mahambre has also been condoled by Dr Sushrut A Martins, national convener of Vision India, All India Trade Union Congress, Dr Purnanand Chari, president of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Sports Journalists Association of Goa, South Goa Journalists Association, Gurunath Pai, public relations officer of defence ministry and Goa Hitrakhan Manch and other social and cultural organizations.