Ravish Tiwari, The Indian Express’s National Political Editor and Chief of National Bureau, died on Saturday morning. His work combined scholarship with journalistic rigor to explain change in politics and society.

Since June 2020, he had been battling cancer. He was 40 years old and leaves behind his wife, parents, and brother.

At The Indian Express, Tiwari led a team of experienced journalists covering the Union Government, including state and national elections, the Prime Minister’s Office, strategic affairs, diplomacy, and infrastructure. As a writer and editor, he had traveled extensively across the country, reporting on rural concerns, agriculture, politics, and, most recently, the Uttar Pradesh election campaign.

Ravish’s was a one-of-a-kind voice in our industry. He never sought the luxury of an echo chamber, instead listening to everyone because he recognized it was the best and only way to keep a finger on the nation’s political pulse and explain it to our readers and viewers,’ said Viveck Goenka, Chairman of the Express Group. ‘We are heartbroken at his death. He was a front-runner as a reporter and editor. Ravish’s work will live on as a source of inspiration for the newsroom and beyond.’

Tiwari had an uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life, to speak to people from all walks of life, and to manage a discourse with the country’s political leadership across party lines. Tiwari, who was dismissive of power, wore his own brightness lightly.

He received his B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, after studying at the government’s Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. His interest in topics at the heart of politics and society led him to change his major to social sciences. In 2005-06, he was one of six Rhodes Scholars to study Social Justice in Secondary Education in India at Oxford University. He was a prominent member of the Techfest team at IIT Bombay, an annual gathering of minds on technology and policy.

The tributes Saturday morning, many from the subjects he had covered, were a monument to his great diversity of work. ‘Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.A successful career in the media has come to an end. I would like reading his reports and would communicate with him on a regular basis. He was perceptive and humble. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and many friends. Om Shanti,’ I say.

On Twitter, Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his sympathies, saying, ‘Shocked and heartbroken to read about Ravish Tiwari’s untimely death. He was a vibrant young journalist who was bright and polished.’

Jairam Ramesh, a Congress lawmaker, stated that Tiwari was “among the finest, intellectual, and objective journalists.” Although he had been critical of me as (Environmental) Minister, we were great friends. We had a lengthy conversation just four days earlier. I’m devastated by his sudden death.’

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, described him as a “talented journalist” and said his “untimely demise is a tremendous loss to the world of journalism in India.”

Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, described Tiwari as a “scholar with a bright mind who had deep insights into the socio-political events of our day.” He was a consummate journalist, and his work and opinions will be missed.’

Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, said Tiwari’s “untimely death” was “very saddening.” My heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and newsroom colleagues.’

Atishi Marlena, a fellow Rhodes scholar in his party, referred to Tiwari as one of her best friends. ‘While the world has lost a smart and perceptive journalist, I have lost my dearest and most faithful friend,’ tweeted Marlena.

Former Cabinet Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted, “Deeply regret the sad passing of one of India’s leading journalists.” ‘He was a dear friend and a brilliant intellectual who could have had an equally brilliant career as an IITian but chose journalism because of his passion and dedication.’

He claimed on Twitter that Tiwari “has a strong awareness of the country’s polity and dynamics.” He wrote without fear of reprisal or favor. Ravish Ji, this was not the time for you to abandon us. ‘It’s a terrible hand of fate,’ says the narrator.

Tiwari also worked for India Today and The Economic Times during his career, in addition to The Indian Express, where he spent a total of about 12 years as a political journalist.

Tiwari was diagnosed with a very advanced stage of cancer shortly after the pandemic’s first lockdown. For nearly two years, he fought valiantly, producing some of the sharpest political commentary and reporting in the process. However, he was defeated in the early hours of the morning.

‘Everyone in the newsroom has lost Ravish, and one way to remember him is to keep a little of Ravish alive in us, in the way he asked the most difficult questions with respect and humility, both of his subjects and of ourselves,’ said Raj Kamal Jha, Chief Editor of The Indian Express. ‘I became more aware of how much of a luxury it was to work with him since that June morning in 2020 when he told me about the cancer diagnosis — his WhatsApp that night was ‘fluctuating temperature, should be ok in a day or two’ — His shoes will never be filled, but they will be kept in a particular corner of the newsroom for all time.’