Novel coronavirus-infected and aggravated diseases have not left us and it may live with the human race for some more years to come, but the increased immunity, enhanced by the massive vaccination drive across the world, has lately slowed down the health disaster to a great extent. Thousands may get infected with the new variants of coronavirus, but the number of casualties has come down drastically. It’s perhaps the time to pay tributes to the practicing doctors, nurses, health & sanitation workers along with the police and press persons who worked as frontline corona warriors and many even sacrificed their precious lives.
No concrete statistics are available on how many frontline corona workers died in the global health disaster that began in the second half of 2019. According to Geneva-based global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign, nearly 2000 media workers (and former journalists) died of Covid-19 in 95 countries until March 2022. It however believes that the actual number of victims of the pandemic is certainly higher, as causes of death (of journalists) were often not specified and in many cases, it was not reported properly. Among the affected countries, Brazil recorded the highest number of corona media casualties (314), followed by India (284 victims), Peru (199), Mexico (129), Colombia (80), USA (70), Bangladesh (69), Indonesia (43), Russia (42), Pakistan (27), Nepal (23), Ukraine (19), Afghanistan, (10), Sri Lanka, (2), Myanmar, Thailand (1).
Northeast lost over 20 journalists to the pandemic. Besides three Assamese scribes, who died while working outside the region, all others succumbed to the virus infection related ailments in their own localities while performing their duty as corona warriors. The shocking news broke for the Guwahati-based media fraternity on 3 July 2020 with the demise of newspaper publisher Rantu Das (54 years old), who was declared dead because of corona-complications. Rural reporter Dhaneswar Rabha (35) lost his battle to corona virus on 6 September. Diagnosed with chronic kidney diseases and put on regular dialysis, Rabha died in Guwahati medical college hospital while undergoing corona treatment. The Udalguri-based reporter was the first journo-victim to Covid-19 pandemic in the region. Kolkata’s photojournalist Ronny Roy was the first scribe in India to lose his battle against the novel coronavirus infection.
Barak valley’s journalist Ashim Dutta (66) died the next day at Silchar medical college hospital. A pass-out from Gauhati University, Dutta was also suffering from kidney ailments and needed dialysis regularly. Talented young journalist Aiyushman Dutta (35) succumbed to Covid-19 complications in April 2021. A prolific feature writer Aiyushman was also a founder of Guwahati International Music Festival. The list of victims also includes radio news presenter Golap Saikia along with Moran-based journalist Jadu Chutia (49), Chaygaon-based scribe Shivacharan Kalita (60), Bokajan-based reporter Rubul Dihingiya (44), Nagaon-based reporter Humeswar Hira (63), Barpeta-based journalist and academician Bijanlal Choudhury (80), etc.
New Delhi-based Assamese journalist couple Nilakshi Bhattacharyya (55) and Kalyan Barooah (60) died of Covid-19 aggravated ailments after hospitalization in the capital city. Similarly, illustrator and cartoonist Anirban Bora (43) also passed away fighting the corona battles. Assam lost two media luminaries namely Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora and Homen Borgohain to the corona aggravated ailments. Saraswati and Sahitya Academy awardee and former president of Asom Sahitya Sabha, Padma Shri awardee author-journalist Bora (89) died while undergoing treatment. Earlier veteran journalist, editor, litterateur Homen Borgohain (88), also an academy awardee and former president of Sahitya Sabha passed away following post corona complications.
Both Manipur and Tripura lost four journalists to the corona disaster. Imphal-based senior author-journalist Sagolsem Hemant (65), who worked for various local newspapers died while undergoing treatment. Ukhrul-based television journalist Thotshang Shaiza (52), Imphal-based scribe Lairenjam Bijen Singh (45) and Saikhom Shantikumar (51) also joined in the victim’s row. Tripura witnessed the demise of Kokborok news channel reporter Jitendra Debbarma (46), Agartala-based freelancer Tanmoy Chakraborty (40), journalist turned politician Gautam Das (70) and Kumarghat-based senior journalist Manik Lal Das (58) in the battles against the corona infection. Only corona media victim from Meghalaya, Syndor Singh Syiem (67) died of post Covid-19 complications. The Shillong-based journalist was associated with a number of Khasi newspapers.
By Nava Thakuria
