New Delhi, March 5 Prominent journalist and former Rajya Sabha MP H K Dua, who had the distinction of heading several leading newspapers, was cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium here on Thursday afternoon.
The last rites were performed by his son, Prashant Dua, in the presence of his mother, Adity Dua, along with prominent personalities and senior journalists.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, former MP Naresh Gujral, and editors of several newspapers and news organizations were present at the cremation.
Dua passed away on Wednesday afternoon at a private hospital. He had been suffering from a health condition for some time and was admitted to the hospital about three weeks ago. He was 88 years old.
A prayer meeting will be held in his memory on March 7 (Saturday) morning at the India International Centre, a place he frequented during his retirement.
Over a four-decade career, Dua had the distinction of heading four newspapers – The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, The Times of India, and The Tribune.
He also served as a media advisor to two prime ministers – Atal Behari Vajpayee and HD Deve Gowda – and transitioned into roles as a diplomat and parliamentarian.
A recipient of the Padma Bhushan award, Dua was known for his amiable personality, sharp political insight, and unwavering commitment to editorial independence. He commanded respect across the political spectrum.
Born on July 1, 1937, Dua also served as India's ambassador to Denmark (2001-03).
He was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha (2009-15), where he made significant contributions to debates on foreign affairs and national security.
"Dua possessed a temperament that was both amiable and possessed uncommon clarity, and he had a rare intuition for sensing evolving events that would make great news, either domestically or internationally, and he was invariably the first to write about them," said former Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra.
"Whenever faced with serious complaints, even abuse hurled at him by political or bureaucratic quarters whom he had editorially criticized for their faults, Dua always maintained his typical quiet and calm until the situation had passed," Vohra said.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram said he was deeply saddened by the passing away of H K Dua, whom he described as a keen observer of current events.
"His writing reflected his deep understanding of the social and political realities of the country, and he was a fair commentator. May his soul rest in peace," Chidambaram said.
Another former Union Minister, Manish Tewari, expressed his sadness at Dua's passing.
"Dua chose to live by his convictions rather than become a puppet of owners or to compromise with politicians for advertisements," he said.
Tewari also described him as a "very warm and genuine" person.
"He knew how to call a spade a spade," the former minister said.
A former president of the Editors' Guild of India and a staunch defender of democratic values, Dua also served on the National Security Advisory Board and received honorary doctorates from Punjab and Kurukshetra Universities for his contributions to the Fourth Estate.
Besides the Padma Bhushan, he received several awards, including the Durga Ratan award and the Bal Gangadhar Tilak award for excellence in journalism.
