Times of India, Kolkata editor Sumit Sen dies

Sumit Sen, Editor of The Times of India, Kolkata, passed away on Sunday night after a brave battle with cancer. He was 60.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee offered her condolences and rushed to the hospital late at night to pay her last respects. The TOI family and Kolkata society — spanning media and government, art and culture, sports and entertainment — went into shock and said they were struggling to deal with the untimely loss of someone so vibrant.

A keen and versatile journalist who cut his teeth in The Statesman before moving on to The Hindustan Times in 2001 and The Times of India in 2003, Sumit Sen was as passionate about his work till his last day in office as he was the day he started out as a cub reporter on the crime beat.

Newspaper veterans recall him taking on the establishment — he was credited with breaking the news of the 'sale' of the Maidan owned by the defence ministry — and his keen nose for news that led him to several big story breaks. He was also known for his analytical and insightful reports on issues ranging from Left politics in West Bengal to India-Bangladesh relations.

Even till Sunday evening — just an hour or so before his passing — he was planning a major campaign on the mystery around Netaji's death and taking stock of the daily reports. Fellow journalists remember him for his enthusiasm, focus, and the way he made friends out of complete strangers.

During his time with TOI, he gave the Kolkata edition a fresh burst of energy, direction and spirit. Always brimming with ideas, he would constantly coax colleagues to think out of the box, and stay ahead of the times. Under him, TOI Kolkata came to be known as a paper that was always fresh and positive.

He fought through pain for the last few months to carry on working the way he always did. When someone complimented him on his will power, he would brush it away and say, "I am simply taking this as another phase of life. This, too, shall pass."

Marcus Dam, who was with him at The Statesman and remained a close friend for over 30 years, said: "It was a WhatsApp message about two weeks ago. In response to a 'hope u r doing well', he sent back a smiley. He was a man of few words. His language was simple. He was very passionate about his work and very loving. We have shared a huge number of secrets that perhaps no one else knows about. I won't call it a loss. He is someone not to be lost. He is always around.”

“He and I shared a dream of taking a vacation in the hills. When the rains came down in Kolkata, whenever it used to turn misty, he would always call me and describe it as 'home weather'. He took pride in the fact that he was from North Bengal. Yes, he will always be around."

Sumitda, as we all called him, is survived by his wife, noted Bharatnatyam dancer Malabika Sen.