Tributes paid to Comrade Mahesh by PCI and fellow journalists on his sad demise

The Press club of India expresses its immense grief and shock over the sad demise of Mahesh Kumar , a veteran journalist and a former management committee member of PCI. He was found dead in his room suffering from cardiac arrest. The Press of of India president , veteran journalist Gautam Lahiri said that we’ve lost a veteran journalist and activist Mahesh Kumar last night. He was an Executive Member of the Delhi Union of Journalists. An active member of the Press Club of India. He worked for Lok Lehar, a Hindi weekly of CPM. He suffered a heart attack yesterday and died alone in his home. Mahesh was 56. A kind, decent, helpful person, committed to people’s causes. He will be surely missed said PCI president Gautam Lahiri in his condolences message. The senior journalist , earlier with NDTV and former secretary general of PCI Nadeem Ahmed Kazmi who participated in several protest demonstrations and struggles with late comrade Mahesh a full timer of SFI earlier during his student days and then with CPM said in her condolence message with a heavy heart : It was winter of 1987 . I joined the JNU and was new to Delhi. A protest meeting was organised in sarswati vihar police station and we gathered at Ganga dhaba to take a bus for sarswati vihar in west Delhi. The place was just after Britania chowk on ring road. After a massive protest the police released the young guy who was tortured the whole night in police custody. The young thin guy was Mahesh Kumar who lives in the same vicinity in one of the resettlement colony and was an activist with CPI(M) youth wing DYFI. I was new to the town and such movement was not seen before that neither in Bihar or AMU( where I did my masters). The young thin guy inspired me to the core . How young fellow can face police brutality and still have fire in his belly. And the journey began from there as SFI activist in JNU and then DU. After SFI we were together in DYFI Delhi unit. And both SFI and DYFI he was my leader . The comraderie continued . We last met recently held PCI elections. We shared happiness and sorrow together. He was available for any comrade any time on just a phone call. Lately we didn’t had much sitting together but always banked upon him at the need of the hour. This is not only the loss to the society but very personal to me.
Red salute comrade. Long live our struggle write Kazmi on his face book post. Senior journalist and women activist for journalists’ cause always at the forefront T.K.Rajalalshmi while paying her heartfelt tributes to Comrade Mahesh wrote of PC aur Hum : Red Salute to Comrade Mahesh Kumar
We mourn the untimely and sudden death of Comrade Mahesh Kumar from a heart attack in his home in Delhi on January 5th. Comrade Mahesh was the first coordinator of the Central Social Media team. At the time of his death, he was working with the party’s Hindi weekly Lok Lahar. Born into a working class Dalit family Mahesh came into prominence as a teenager of 16 when he protested police atrocities in his colony and was himself arrested and tortured by the police. He joined the CPIM soon after and shouldered many responsibilities.
We extend our condolences to his son and family members.
Lal Salaam Comrade Mahesh said Rajyalakshmi in her condolence message. The body of Comrade Mahesh will be brought to Surjeet Bhawan in 7 th January and consigned to flames bidding final adieu at Nigam Bodh Ghat in the evening at 5.30 PM . RIP