It was neither the age, nor the way to go. Usha Srivastava, 59, who headed the Hindi Pioneer since its birth in 2011, passed away at 11.30 am at the Max hospital, Saket, in New Delhi on Saturday.
She left behind a grieving family, shell-shocked colleagues, a large number of friends, well-wishers, and acquaintance who would found it difficult to accept that (the) cheerful, friendly, demure face of Hindi journalism is no more.
Usha was suffering from a liver ailment and had undergone a liver transplant. She could never recover from the post-operation complications.
A host of political leaders and journalists have mourned her death.
An emotional Chandan Mitra, the Editor-in-Chief of The Pioneer, nearly broke down on hearing the news of Usha’s demise. “She nurtured the Hindi Pioneer like her own baby. She was a spirited, committed, and lively colleague, whose absence cannot be filled easily. I’m speechless with grief,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mourned Usha’s death and conveyed his condolences to her family. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar were among those who mourned Usha’s death.
The Pioneer CEO Shobori Ganguly described Usha as a “valuable” colleague who also cared for everyone around her. “I find it so difficult to come to terms with her passing away. She was such a noble soul,” she said.
When her wait for a liver donor ended on December 25 after nearly a fortnight of a wait during which she was bedridden in the hospital, in and out of the ICUs, at The Pioneer we took a sigh of relief.
Many of us met her before she was wheeled into the operation theatre the next day. Little did we know that it would be the last time we would see her.
Her valiant fight for survival, our prayers, and doctors’ efforts could not change what destiny had in store for her. She left us without a word, without even opening her eyes for nearly three weeks.
When she first fell ill in end of October last year, none of us ever thought in two-month time we would lose her forever. After all, we were so used to her presence, her friendly banters and intense political debates, that we thought nothing could ever defeat her. Alas! We were so wrong.
Usha completed her study from Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya and then started her journalist career from Hindi daily Aaj as a correspondent from Varanasi. Later, she moved to Delhi and worked with Amar Ujala, Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Bhaskar before she joined as the Resident Editor of the Hindi Pioneer in 2011.
She would be always the last to leave the office.
But when it came to leave us for one last time, she seemed to be in such a tearing hurry.
Goodbye, Usha...
