He was admitted to the nursing home on Sunday with multiple complications and was on a ventilator for the last two days. He died this afternoon following multi-organ failure. His body was taken to the Bartaman office in the evening where several eminent personalities turned up to pay their last homage.

Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, in a message, deeply mourned his death.

He stated: “I am grieved to learn of the demise of Shri Barun Sengupta. He was a doyen of Bengali journalism. His service to the cause of free press will long be remembered.”

The eminent journalist was born on January 23, 1934, in Barisal district, currently in Bangladesh. Born to father Nirmalananda Sengupta and mother Ranibala Devi, Sengupta had spent his formative years both in Barishal and then in Kolkata where the family had shifted before Independence. He joined the City College in Amherst Street and graduated with a BCom degree. He joined the Ananda Bazar Patrika in 1960 and became the daily’s first political correspondent in 1965.

In 1984, he left Ananda Bazar Patrika to launch Bartaman and wrote for the daily till he fell ill a few days ago.

Sengupta has some highly acclaimed books to his credit. Pala Badaler Pala, Shob Charitra Kalpanik, Indira Ekadashi, Bipak-e-stan, Netaji Antardhan

Rahasya, Dillir Palabadal and Andhakarer Antarale are some of his notable works.