Senior Kerala journalist dies at 58

Senior Kerala journalist T N Gopakumar died of cardiac arrest early yesterday at a private hospital here, his family said Gopakumar, 58, was editor-in-chief of Asianet News.TNG, as he was popularly known, leaves behind his wife and two daughters. Gopakumar was under treatment for cancer for some time. Family sources said he died around 3.50am. He was cremated in the evening with full state honours. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, film personalities and journalists were among those who offered their respects. Gopakumar started his journalistic career with the Indian Express and went on to work with Mathrubhumi, News Time, Statesman, Independent and India Today. He also contributed to BBC Radio before joining Asianet. Gopakumar made a mark with his weekly TV programme Kannadi, focusing on touching social issues which made him very popular. Kannadi (mirror) recently celebrated 1,000 episodes and ran for 22 years. Despite a hectic career, Gopakumar found time to pen books on various subjects, directed a film Jeevan Mashai in 2001 and a serial for Doordarshan Verukal (Roots). He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for Suchindrum Rakhakal besides many other awards during his three decades of journalistic career.