Kolkata/IBNS: Veteran journalist and media educator, Dr. Malay Mitra, who helmed the Kolkata bureau of Indian news agency UNI for many years as its manager, passed away recently. Survived by his wife and son, he was 79.

According to his family sources, Dr. Mitra assed away at his residence on April 15 night following a heart attack.

Dr. Mitra, who was also a visiting lecturer in the Journalism and Mass Communication department of University of Calcutta for decades grooming generations of students on the rudiments of news story writing, editing and reporting, later taught at IIMC Dhenkanal and other insitutions.

Dr. Mitra joined United News of India (UNI) in the year 1969 after obtaining a diploma in journalism from CU. He later completed his PhD while working on agency journalism under late journalist and editor Sunit Mukherjee.  In UNI he rose to be the manager of the Kolkata bureau and then a Regional Manager of the eastern region of the news agency.

He also worked in the New Delhi headquarters of the UNI for some years.

A livewire of the newsroom in Kolkata UNI, Dr. Mitra was highly respected for his sharp news sense, speed, accuracy and strong foundation on wire service journalism.

Condolences:

"I worked with him for decades and enjoyed a very cordial relationship. He has a sharp news sense, something required for objective news agency journalism," said veteran sports journalist Manik Banerjee recalling his long association with Dr. Mitra.

Veteran journalist and former manager of UNI Kolkata Pritha Lahiri in a message said: "I began my journalistic career under Malay Mitra's tutelage. He had a sharp sense of news and was extremely fast in dispensing it, a quintessential quality of an agency journalist. I was struck by his ability to bring to the fore the crux, or intro, from a humongous material."

Senior UNI journalist Kanika Chaudhury in her condolence message said: "It's shocking. I started my career under his able guidance. He was a thorough gentleman and an excellent editor....Rest in peace."

Dr. Mitra also left behind his countless students who remembered him for his guidance and lessons in the basics of journalism and objective, no frills journalistic writing.

Arindam Basu, a senior sports journalist, PR professional and media educator at Sister Nivedita University, said: "He was my first boss. An impeccable gentleman and a fine journalist. He was my teacher at the University. When I joined UNI, he had said, this naughty boy is now a part of Kolkata Bureau. He handed me the UNI manual and said learn it in a month. Memories flood."

(Reporting by Sujoy Dhar)