HK Dua, ex-Rajya Sabha MP and veteran journalist, passes away at 88

HK Dua served as the editor of The Hindustan Times (1987-94), Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express (1994-96) and The Tribune (2003-09).

Updated on: Mar 4, 2026, 16:44:32 IST

Edited by Majid Alam

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Veteran journalist, former Rajya Sabha member and media advisor to two Prime Ministers, HK Dua, passed away on Wednesday. He was 88.

File photo of veteran journalist HK Dua delivering a lecture at Panjab University in Chandigarh. (Karun Sharma/HT)

Dua breathed his last at a private hospital in Delhi. He was admitted to the hospital three weeks back after he was keeping unwell, PTI reported.

Soon after his demise, tributes started pouring in from leaders, journalists and prominent personalities. He will be cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium on Thursday.

Here is all you need to know about the eminent journalist, former diplomat, and Padma Bhushan:

Born on July 1, 1937, HK Dua was also the media advisor to two prime ministers - Atal Bihari Vajpayee and HD Deve Gowda.
He was known for his sharp political insight and commitment to editorial independence. He served as the editor of The Hindustan Times (1987-94), Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express (1994-96) and The Tribune (2003-09).
He also served as the Editorial Advisor for The Times of India (1997-98) and appeared extensively on national and international affairs in newspaper columns and television channels.
He was also nominated a member of the Rajya Sabha (2009-2015) by the President, where he contributed to the debates on foreign affairs and national security.
He was also a member of the National Security Advisory Board and was part of several high-profile parliamentary committees, including Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs, according to PTI.
He received Padma Bhushan from President K R Narayanan, and was conferred with D.Litt (Hon) by Punjab University and the Kurukshetra University. He was also a member of the Senate of Punjab University and Court of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari expressed their condolences on passing away of the veteran journalist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Majid Alam
Majid Alam is a Chief Content Producer working at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. He currently heads shifts at online desk and manages homepage apart from writing, editing and curating articles. With over six years of experience in journalism, Majid has navigated national, politics and international news. His work primarily focuses on the politics of the Hindi heartland, government policies, and South Asia. He also writes on US and Europe’s policies vis-à-vis India. Before joining Hindustan Times, Majid worked at ABP LIVE as the Chief Copy Editor and at News18, where he managed the World and Explainers sections. His articles have featured in Dialogue Earth, The Quint, BMJ, The Diplomat, and Outlook India. Majid has a keen interest in the use of data for storytelling. Majid holds a Masters in Convergent Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia. He was awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship to study International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris in 2020. He is also part of the OCEANS Network, an alumni network of Erasmus+ exchange scholars. He is currently serving as the National Representative (India) at the OCEANS Network. Apart from journalism, Majid has a flair for academic writing and loves to teach. He has published a book chapter: 'Bombay Cinema and Postmodernism' in the book: 'Handbook of Research on Social and Cultural Dynamics in Indian Cinema.' He was also part of the OCEANS Network delegation to Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam in 2025. He has also given guest lecture in digital journalism at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia.Read More

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