Anjan Bandopadhyay was editor of Zee 24 Ghanta.
One of Bengal's leading news television anchors, Anjan Bandopadhyay, died in Kolkata Sunday night after a month-long battle against COVID-19. He was 56.
Mr Bandopadhyay was admitted to a private hospital on April 14 after he contracted the virus. He was discharged later after recovery but was back in the hospital after he developed Covid-related complications. He was put on ventilator, then on ECMO but suffered a cardiac arrest at 9:25 pm.
A journalist of 33 years, Mr Bandopadhyay was editor of Zee 24 Ghanta, a leading Bengali news channel, which he joined when it began back in 2006. In recent years he served as editor or Ananda Bazar's digital platform, moved on as editor of TV 9's Bengal news chanmel briefly before returning to head Zee 24 Ghanta just weeks before Bengal's Assembly elections.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said that he was "stunned and saddened" at the news of Mr Bandyopadhyay's death.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remembered Mr Bandyopadhyay as one of the Bengal's best-known television anchors in Bengal, who was a bright, young and dynamic journalist. "Saddened at the passing away of Anjan Bandyopadhyay, one of the best-known television anchors in Bengal. He was a bright, young and dynamic journalist. We have lost so many who have covered the recent elections.
I have no words to express my condolences to his family and his colleagues in the fraternity. His Ma, wife Aditi, daughter Titli, his elder brother Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who is the Chief Secretary of the State," she wrote on Facebook.
Tributes are pouring in for Mr Bandopadhyay from journalists, including many young media persons whom he mentored.
Kolkata Press Club has expressed its condolences at the untimely passing of Mr Bandopadhyay who made a mark with his television shows and debates.
A student of Presidency College, he is younger brother of West Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay.