Veteran editor Vinod Mehta passes away; outpouring of wishes on Twitter

Veteran editor Vinod Mehta passed away today in New Delhi, the Outlook group announced on Twitter today. The group didn’t immediately disclose the cause of his death though he was said to have been ailing for some time. Mehta, the founding editor of the magazine, has been the editor of various publications and written multiple books in a journalistic career spanning decades. Mehta, who was originally from Lucknow, started his journalistic career editing the magazine Debonair and went on to write biographies on Sanjay Gandhi and actress Meena Kumari. He has been the founder-editor of multiple publications, like the Sunday Observer, Independent and the Delhi-edition of the Pioneer, apart from Outlook. [caption id=“attachment_2142119” align=“alignleft” width=“370”]  Vinod Mehta. Image courtesy: HarperCollins[/caption] Mehta was editor-in-chief of Outlook India until February 2012 after which he served as an advisor to the magazine. His autobiography, Lucknow Boy, was widely acclaimed. Mehta, who was Editorial Chairman of ‘Outlook’ magazine which he had founded, had been ailing for several months and was hospitalised at AIIMS. He was suffering from severe lung infection and was on life support. He died of multiple organ failure, AIIMS spokesperson Amit Gupta said. Mehta recently published another book ‘Editor Unplugged’ but could not attend its launch in December last because of his illness. Mehta was a dog lover and had adopted a street dog whom he had named ‘Editor. The dog often figured in his columns in ‘Outlook’ magazine. Mehta was three years old when he migrated to India along with his family after partition. The family settled down in Lucknow where he did his schooling and got BA degree. Leaving home with a BA third class degree, he experimented with a string of jobs, including that of a factory hand in suburban Britain, before accepting an offer to edit Debonair in 1974, a men’s magazine. Years later, he shifted to Delhi where he launched the Delhi-edition of ‘The Pioneer’ newsapaper. He was married to Sumita Paul, a journalist who worked for the Pioneer and the ‘Sunday Times of India’. The couple do not have any children. According to his own account in his book ‘Lucknow Boy’, Mehta has a daughter from an old affair from this younger days. He said nobody, other than his wife, knew about his daughter until he wrote about it in his memoir. He said he spoke to his wife and she encouraged him to write about it. The response on Twitter to his passing away was spontaneous with many from the journalistic community and outside it, paying their respects to him:

Frank & direct in his opinions, Vinod Mehta will be remembered as a fine journalist & writer. Condolences to his family on his demise.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2015

Shocked to learn of Vinod Mehta's demise.
A relevant voice.....One of the most honest autobiographies that I have read.
RIP...

— Manish Mishra (@mishmanin) March 8, 2015

Vinod Mehta, outstanding chronicler of almost everybody's foibles, your irreverence will be missed. RIP.

— Nalini Singh (@nalinisinghtv) March 8, 2015

More from Lifestyle

Is it safe to travel to Indonesia as violent protests spread? Why does South Korea still ban tattoos, and is that about to change?

Deeply saddened to hear of Vinod Mehta's passing away. Great editor to work with, became a great friend too. RIP

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 8, 2015

Shocked to hear about the sad demise of Shri. Vinod Mehta. My condolences to his family and friends.

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) March 8, 2015

In an age of Pygmy editors who won't stand up to be counted, Vinod Mehta was exceptional. The old school of Mumbai editors. RIP

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 8, 2015

Here's the picture I'd like to remember Vinod Mehta by. pic.twitter.com/WovQLq0xyl

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) March 8, 2015

Mourning Vinod Mehta the last of an old guard of Bombay journos who made the shift to Delhi but lost none of his irreverence or decency.

— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) March 8, 2015

Vinod Mehta was the finest editor I worked with. A perfect gentleman who never lost his cool. You'll always remain in my heart. RIP

— GeetaPandeyBBC (@geetapandeyBBC) March 8, 2015

This is how I'd like to remember Vinod Mehta, along with my editor and Guru Busybee Behram Contractor. pic.twitter.com/y1GQFiiDSU

— मङ्गलम् (@veejaysai) March 8, 2015