Although he preferred to describe himself as a reporter, Chakravarty's incisive writings and columns made him one of the best known political analysts and commentators in the country. At the time of his death, he was chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board and also founder-chairman of Namedia, an organisation of media personnel from the Non-aligned countries.

Like many of his contemporaries, Chakravarty was drawn to Marxism during his student days in Oxford and with his wife, Renu Roy, niece of B C Roy, plunged into active Left politics in West Bengal on his return to India in the late Thirties. He became a cardholder of the CPI and his first brush with journalism was through the party's weekly paper, ``People's War'', which he joined as a correspondent in 1943.

He went underground duringthe struggle for Independence and was arrested by the British. Ultimately, he quit the CPI and left active politics to become a full-time journalist but retained a deep interest in political developments throughout his life.

A champion of press freedom, Chakravarty was in the forefront of the movement against the muzzling of the press during the Emergency. He refused the Padmabhushan in 1990, saying that journalists should not take awards from the Government as it compromised their freedom.

Chakravarty is survived by his son, Sumit, who is the current editor of his father's pet project, ``Mainstream''.

The doyen of Indian journalism was operated upon for a brain tumour last month. He was in virtual coma after the operation and finally breathed his last this afternoon as 3.15 pm. The funeral is at 11 am on Sunday. Before that, his body will be kept for homage by his many friends and admirers at his residence in Kaka Nagar from 8 am to 10 am.

Meanwhile in Mumbai, Gandhian and veteran CongressmanHomi J Taleyarkhan died in his sleep at 86 and first lady of Indian shipping, Sumati Morarji, died of a cardiac arrest following a brief illness.