NEW DELHI, Sept 8 — Sankarshan Thakur, Editor of The Telegraph, passed away on Monday, September 8, 2025, at a Gurgaon hospital at the age of 63. He had been ailing and recently underwent surgery, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
Renowned for his incisive political analysis and ground reporting, Thakur was widely regarded as one of contemporary journalism’s finest writers. A chronicler of Bihar’s politics, he authored notable books including Making of Laloo Yadav, The Unmaking of Bihar, Single Man: The Life And Times of Nitish Kumar of Bihar, and The Brothers Bihari. Educated at St. Xavier’s High School in Patna and a Political Science graduate from Hindu College, Delhi University, he began his career with the Sunday magazine under the Ananda Bazar Patrika group.
Thakur specialized in ground reporting from Bihar and Kashmir, later serving as The Telegraph’s National Affairs Editor before becoming its Editor. He received the Prem Bhatia Award in 2001 for excellence in political journalism and worked with publications like The Indian Express and Tehelka. His standout coverage included reporting on political violence in Manipur in June 2001 for The Indian Express, following the Vajpayee government’s ceasefire talks with the NSCN-IM.
His death has prompted widespread tributes. The Press Club of India described him as “a fearless voice in journalism” whose “sharp political analysis and unwavering commitment to the truth will be deeply missed.” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge praised his “incisive reporting, fearless political commentary, and eloquent writing style,” while Jairam Ramesh, Congress communication chief, called him “a delightfully brilliant writer” and “one of India’s strongest defenders” of liberal, democratic, and secular values.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
