Overview

• Thakur died on 8 September 2025 at a Gurugram hospital after a prolonged illness; some outlets noted a recent surgery and others referenced cancer, though no official cause was announced.
• A veteran of more than four decades, he worked at Sunday magazine, The Indian Express, Tehelka and The Telegraph, where he returned to lead the newsroom after earlier stints.
• Renowned for immersive reporting from Kargil, Kashmir, the Bhopal gas tragedy, the 1984 riots and Sri Lanka, he paired fieldwork with literary craft.
• An authoritative voice on Bihar, he authored Subaltern Saheb, Single Man and The Brothers Bihari, widely cited portraits of the state’s politics.
• Tributes came from the Press Club of India, Editors Guild, Omar Abdullah, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, Nitish Kumar and Manoj Jha; he is survived by wife Sona, daughter Jahan and son Ayushman, with last rites held at Delhi’s Lodhi Road crematorium.