Veteran journalist Bhairab Risal passed away

Veteran journalist Bhairab Risal has passed away on Sunday evening at the age of 97 years. He was undergoing treatment for heart and lung diseases at the Frontline Hospital in Baneshwor, Kathmandu.

Risal had been active in journalism since the Panchayat period. He had retired as the chief correspondent of the state-run RastriyaSamacharSamiti(RSS). Before that he worked with the Central Bureau of Statistics. As an enumerator during the 1961 census, Risal had visited far-western Nepal’s Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas, which are currently occupied by India, and counted the households.

He was honoured with various awards on human rights and environment, ran a programme ‘Uhile bajeka palama’ on Radio Sagarmatha until a few years ago. The left-leaning Risal also fought for a parliamentary seat from Bhaktapur in 1991 on the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party ticket.

He authored several publications including ‘Sadhulai Suli’ (a jail diary), ‘Logneswasni’, ‘Kehi mitraka chithi’ and ‘Bhairab dai’. Likewise, ‘Uhile bajeka palama’ was a popular radio programme aired in the Radio Sagarmatha which he presented for long. He had bagged various awards relating to human rights and environment. He is lived by a spouse, two sons and two daughters. He had already announced donation of his body (lifeless) to the Patan Institute of Health Sciences for research and study.