Ravish Tiwari, Express chief of national bureau, passes away

Read Ravish Tiwari’s reportage here

“Ravish’s was a rare, unique voice in our profession. In the polarised world which much of political journalism inhabits, never once did he seek the comfort of an echo chamber. He listened to all because he knew that was the best way and the only way to keep a finger on the nation’s political pulse and explain it to our readers and audiences,” said Chairman of the Express Group Viveck Goenka. “We deeply mourn his loss. Ravish will live in his work and his values which will be an enduring inspiration for the political team in the newsroom and beyond.”

Tiwari had a natural flair for connecting with people, to speak to a very wide spectrum, manage a conversation with the country’s political leadership across party lines. Yet, he also knew that his best sources were also those far away from party offices, often lost in the statistics of an official scheme or in the inside pages of a government report. Not impressed by those who threw their weight, Tiwari also wore his own intelligence lightly.

Growing up in Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh, he studied at the government’s Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya before he went to the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, where he got his dual B.Tech- M.Tech in metallurgy and material sciences. His passion for questions that go to the heart of politics and society made him switch to social sciences. He went to Oxford University in 2005-06 as one of the six Rhodes Scholars that year, his field was social justice in education. At IIT Bombay, he was also one of the key team members behind Techfest, an annual gathering of minds on technology and policy.

For Ravish Tiwari, journalism was a passion, and he chose it over lucrative professions. He had an enviable knack for reporting and incisive commentary. His sudden and shocking demise silences a distinct voice in news media. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 19, 2022

In a media ecosystem where self-promotion is almost a credo, Tiwari let his stories do the talking. Some of his most recent work included flagging the shifting political wind on the farm laws to the RSS disquiet over the farm protests; revealing how the Government reached out to Congress chief whip the night before it split Jammu and Kashmir to explaining why this year’s Budget kept an arm’s length from politics. His analytical work identified crucial trends including the importance of the first-time voter in 2014 and the political economy of the national rural employment guarantee scheme.

A testament to the quality of his work came in the sweep of tributes Saturday from those he had reported on. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted condoling his death – the President’s office and Modi, personally, calling the family to offer their condolences.

“For Ravish Tiwari, journalism was a passion, and he chose it over lucrative professions. He had an enviable knack for reporting and incisive commentary. His sudden and shocking demise silences a distinct voice in news media,” President Kovind tweeted. In a letter to his family, Kovind said Tiwari was “an outstanding journalist and had a deep understanding of diverse issues” and that he “leaves behind an inspiring range of work”.

PM Modi said in a tweet: “Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti.”

Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 19, 2022

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited his home and met the family. She later tweeted that his demise “is a stroke of grief for all who knew him. Met with his mother, father, wife and brother at his residence in Gurugram to express my condolences. Not just Indian Express but the world of journalism has lost a reasoning head.”

Shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of, Ravish Tiwari. He was a young, bright and professional journalist, full of life. My condolences to his family and friends. May God give them strength to bear the irreparable loss. Om Shanti.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 19, 2022

The tributes came from across the political spectrum. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a Facebook post, “It’s sad to know of the untimely passing of our young journalist friend Ravish Tiwari ji,” and offered his condolences.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal said that Tiwari’s “untimely death” “is extremely saddening. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues from the newsroom.”

Said Kejriwal’s party colleague Atishi Marlena, a fellow Rhodes scholar with Tiwari: “While the world has lost a sharp and insightful journalist, I have lost my dearest and most loyal friend.”

Lost my best friend @ravishkt today after his long battle with cancer. While the world has lost a sharp and insightful journalist, I have lost my dearest and most loyal friend.

Ravish: you will be missed deeply… pic.twitter.com/McmFKvQnTq

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) February 19, 2022

Besides The Indian Express, where he spent a total of around 12 years, as a reporter, then political editor and chief of bureau, Tiwari had brief stints with India Today and The Economic Times.

It was soon after the first lockdown in the pandemic that Tiwari was detected with cancer, at an advanced stage. He fought hard for nearly two years, continuing to produce some of the sharpest political commentary and reporting along the way. His latest podcast on UP elections was recorded Thursday and was out just hours after his death. But he lost the battle in the early hours of Saturday, at a hospital in Gurgaon.

“In the newsroom, each one of us deeply feels Ravish’s loss and one way to remember him is by keeping a little of Ravish alive in us. In the way he asked the hardest questions with respect and humility, both of his subjects and of ourselves,” said Raj Kamal Jha, Chief Editor, The Indian Express. “And in the remarkable way in which he brought science into the art of his journalism. His shoes cannot be filled, they shall sit in a very special corner of the Express newsroom for ever.”

His last rites were performed by his father in the presence of his family, friends and colleagues at a crematorium in Gurgaon.