Vinod Dua (11 March 1954 – 4 December 2021) was a popular Indian journalist with eclectic interests ranging from politics, culture to cooking. Hailing from a family of Saraiki Hindus, resettled in Delhi’s refugee colonies in 1947, Dua was born and brought up in Old Delhi. Completing his M.A in Literature from D.U, he participated in singing and debate events, and also did theatre.
Bold, frank, irreverent, he rose to his peak over 42 years. Among the first TV anchors to reorient himself for the digital era – at ease in English and Hindi — he pioneered Hindi TV journalism.
He was effortless and often combined sharp wit and insight. Speaking extempore, he would start and finish in 15 minutes without even the need for editing. He never scripted his shows; neither did he refer to the teleprompter. Although from the old school of anti-establishment journalism, he had an easygoing attitude towards life.
Dua started his career in 1974, with Doordarshan in the black and white era, as a news anchor and television presenter, with Yuva Manch, pioneering news and current affairs, aimed at young audiences.
In 1975, he anchored Yuva Jan, a show for Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE). The same year, he anchored Jawan Tarang, telecast on the newly commissioned Amritsar TV, where he continued until 1980. From 1981 to 1984, he anchored Aap Ke Liye, a Sunday morning family magazine.
Along with Prannoy Roy, NDTV co-founder, he co-anchored election analysis on Doordarshan in 1984, giving him his first major brush with fame, enabling him to bag several other similar programmes. Dua’s strength lay in explaining complex ideas.
He also anchored ‘Janvani’ (People’s Voice), in 1985, first of its kind, where common people could ask questions directly to the ministers. Dua later joined TV Today, as its chief producer in 1987. He also produced shows based on current affairs, budget analysis, and documentary films and he launched his own production company, The Communication Group, in 1988.
He went on to anchor the popular show Chakravyuha in 1992. Producer of a Doordarshan weekly current affairs magazine, Parakh, between 1992 and 96, he also anchored the show Tasveer-e-Hind, for DD3 Media, between 1997 and 1998. In March 1998, Dua anchored Sony Entertainment Channel’s show, Chunav Chunauti. Between 2000 and 2003, he anchored ‘Pratidin’.
In the late 2000s, Dua hosted NDTV India’s popular show, ‘Zaika India Ka’, travelling countrywide, stopping by roadside dhabas and roads, exploring distinct food cultures.
Dua entered digital journalism when as contributing editor at The Wire, Hindi from 2016 to 2018, he presented a witty daily news show, Jan Gan Man ki Baat. In 2019, he began working at Swaraj TV and HW News.
Controversies also courted him. In October 2017, he disapproved actor Akshay Kumar making sexist remarks against his comedienne daughter, on a TV show. In October 2018, he was accused of harassment and passing an obscene joke by film director Nishtha Jain, which he refuted. Dua became a magnet for complaints by BJP supporters and activists who filed FIRs for sedition and ‘spreading fake news through his shows.’ However, the Supreme Court quashed the charges.
First electronic media journalist to be bestowed with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 1996, he got the Padma Shri in 2008, the D. Litt. ‘Honoris Causa’ (an honorary degree in Doctor of Letters) by ITM University, Gwalior in 2016 and the lifetime achievement in the field of journalism, the Red Ink Award from the Mumbai Press Club in 2017.
Dua contracted Covid-19 in early 2021. His wife Padmavati, a radiologist and her mother passed away from the virus in June. He died aged 67 in New Delhi, survived by his daughters, actor- comic Mallika and Bakul, a clinical psychologist.
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A Radhakrishnan
A Radhakrishnan is a Pune based journalist, poet and short story writer. [/column]