Senior Journalist VP Ramachandran passes away

Veteran journalist V P Ramachandran passed away at Kochi. He was 98

Kochi: Veteran journalist VP Ramachandran passed away at Kakkanad near Kochi on Wednesday. He was 98. VPR, who reported big news events for agencies Press Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) from 1950 to 1970s, had been bedridden due to age-related ailments. He also served as the editor of Mathrubhumi.

Vettathu Puthenveettil Ramachandran’s life had been one incredible journey. He moved to Delhi at the age of 18. He later served as an army clerk in Pune before becoming a journalist.As Lahore correspondent of PTI, VPR was the first to tell the outside world about the martial law following a coup in Pakistan by its Army Chief General Ayub Khan in 1958. He also covered the India-China war of 1962.

He joined UNI in 1964 and his coverage of the Emergency reportedly antagonised the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. After returning to Kerala, he served a brief while as Mathrubhumi editor, before taking up the role as course director at the Kerala Press Academy before becoming its chairman for two terms.
Wife Gouri had predeceased VPR. He is survived by daughter Lekha Chandrasekhar.