Veteran Journalist and Padma Bhushan Awardee HK Dua Dies at 88

HK Dua, one of India's most distinguished journalists, former Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune, and recipient of the Padma Bhushan, passed away in New Delhi on Wednesday at the age of 88. His family confirmed the news, saying he had been admitted to a private hospital three weeks ago following a period of ill health. His cremation is scheduled for 12 noon on Wednesday at the Lodhi Road Crematorium.

Dua's career spanned several decades and left an indelible mark on Indian public life. He held senior editorial positions at some of the country's most prestigious publications — The Indian Express, The Times of India, and the Hindustan Times — before leading The Tribune as Editor-in-Chief from 2003 to 2009, a tenure widely credited with significantly enhancing the newspaper's national standing and editorial credibility.

Beyond the newsroom, Dua served as media adviser to two Prime Ministers — HD Deve Gowda and Atal Bihari Vajpayee — and represented India as Ambassador to Denmark. In 2009, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh nominated him to the Rajya Sabha, where he participated in debates on media freedom and public policy. He was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2008 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to journalism.

Tributes poured in from across India's political and media landscape. Congress MP Manish Tewari offered one of the most heartfelt remembrances, describing Dua as a journalist who stood by his convictions without compromise.

"He was an editor when being an editor still mattered," Tewari wrote on X. "He chose to live by his convictions rather than become a lackey of the owners and kowtow to politicians for advertisements. A very warm human being and totally unpretentious — he knew how to call a spade a spade."