BANGALORE: Santosh Kumar Gulwadi, noted journalist and former editor of Taranga, a Kannada weekly, died of a heart attack here on Tuesday. He is survived by one son and a daughter.
A resident of Malleshwaram, Gulwadi (72) complained of chest pain around 8.30 pm and was immediately shifted to M S Ramaiah Hospital. He died around 9 pm, family sources said.
Bespectacled and always clad in a white dhoti and kurta, Gulwadi was known for his in-depth and incisive writings on historical as well as contemporary issues. He served as the editor of Taranga between 1984 and 1999.
Gulwadi’s grandfather, Gulwadi Venkatraya of Udupi (Manipal), was the author of Indira Bai Yaane Saddharma Vijaya.
One of his editorials in the Taranga weekly titled Antharanga Bahiranga was famous among the masses. When he underwent an open-heart surgery in 1960, he wrote an article, Naanu hrudaya shastra chikithse maadisikonde (I also underwent heart surgery), where he emphasised that there was no need to be afraid of such surgeries.
With his hands always on the people’s pulse, Gulwadi could connect with the past as well as present generations and issues with ease. He was a man of precision as his writings were always sharp and had a no-nonsense tone.
A man with positive views, Gulwadi’s criticism of developments, events and personalities were constructive as well as educative. There was no place for rancour, acrimony, bias or vengeance in any of his writings. Gulwadi was the recipient of the Nudi Siri Award for 2010-11.