NOTED Hindi journalist and former Sangh Pracharak Ramshankar Agnihotri passed away at Escort Hospital in Raipur on July 7 following a brief illness. He was 85. He was admitted to the hospital on June 29 following heart trouble.
Ramshankar Agnihotri was president of Pandit Deendayal Research Centre at Kushabhau Thakre University of Journalism and Mass Communication. He was staying in Raipur for some time due to this responsibility.
Ramshankar Agnihotri was among the Sangh Pracharaks who motivated some very highly dedicated and committed youth to join the Sangh. One among them is former RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri KS Sudarshan. Shri Sudarshan had himself admitted at a function in Madhya Pradesh that it was Agnihotriji who made him a swayamsevak.
Born on April 14, 1926 at Seoni Malva in Madhya Pradesh’s Hosangabad district, he became Mandla district Pracharak of RSS in 1944 and later did diploma in journalism from Nagpur University in 1952. He began his journalistic career with Yugdharm from Nagpur in 1951. He was popular with his coverage on Emergency and Shri Ramjanmabhoomi movement.
Agnihotriji was appointed organising secretary of Mahakaushal unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in 1949. Later, he became organising secretary of Vindya Pradesh Jan Sangh in 1951. He was Prant Pracharak of Mahakaushal from 1956 to 1964. Then he joined Rashtradharma as editor in 1964 and held that responsibility till 1968. He joined Yugvarta as editor in 1969. He was Bureau Chief of Hindusthan Samachar from 1970 to 1975. He was also western region War Correspondent in 1971. He was regional manager (Maharashtra-Gujarat) of Hindusthan Samachar from 1978 to 80. He was special correspondent of the agency in Nepal from 1981 to 1983. Later, he became the chief editor of Hindusthan Samachar in New Delhi. He was also Managing editor of Panchjanya and General Manager of Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Ltd. from 1986 to 1989. Later, he looked after the work of Shri Ram Karsewa Samiti Information Centre from 1989 to 1990. He was also director of Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Media Centre in Ayodhya for some time. He published and edited the Media Forum Features from Lucknow from 1991 to 1998. He was media cell incharge of BJP in New Delhi from 1999 to 2002. Then he edited Media Watch from 2002 to 2004. Presently he was associated with the Kushabhau Thakre University of Journalism and Mass Communication in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Ramshankar Agnihotri visited many countries including Tanzania, Korea, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakisthan, UK, etc. Apart from the prestigious Manikchand Vajpayee Rashtriya Patrakarita Purashkar, he was also honoured with Dr Nagendra Puraskar, Bapurao Lele Memorial Puraskar and Lala Baldev Singh Samman. He also wrote several books including Satyam Ekmeva, Kashmir ke Morche Par, Rashtra Jivan ki Disha, Baji Prabhu Deshpande, Suraksha ke Morche Par, Avismaraniya Baba Saheb Apte, Communist Vishvasghat ki Kahani, Dr Hedgewar: Ek Chamatkar and Naya Masiha, etc.
Paying tribute Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said Agnihotriji served the country and the society as a Sangh Pracharak and an ideal journalist. Public Relations and Culture Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Laxmikant Sharma said the late Agnihotriji would remain a source of inspiration to the next generation due to his dedicated journalism and services to the nation. He not only set high standards in journalism but also inspired a whole generation to do the same. Madhya Pradesh government had honoured Agnihotriji with Rashtriya Manikchand Vajpayee Puraskar last year.
Chhattisgarh Governor Shri Shekhar Dutt said: “Ramdhankar Agnihotriji was eminent thinker of the country, writer and great journalist of India who gave right direction to the country from his kalam.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh also condoled the death of Agnihotriji. He said Agnihotriji was a journalist who never compromised over values and ethics. He reached the crematorium grounds to pay tribute to him. At the crematorium grounds all the people observed two minute silence for peace of the departed soul. Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Chairman Gauri Shankar Agarwal, Chhattisgarh Housing Board Chairman Shri Subhash Rao, former Minister Ajay Chandrakar, former Raipur mayor Sunil Soni, Raipur District Panchayat former president Shri Ashok Bajaj, Chhattisgarh Bewarages Corporation’s former president Sachchidanand Upasane, Dr Rajendra Dubey and many other distinguished persons were also present at the crematorium to pay last respect to Agnihotriji.
