Senior journalist, scholar, historian and author Aroon Tikekar died of a heart attack at his Bandra residence in north-west Mumbai on Tuesday.
He was 71 and is survived his wife, son and daughter-in-law. His mortal remains were consigned to flames at Dadar crematorium in the afternoon.
Dr Tikekar, who came from a distinguished family of litterateurs and journalists, was the Editor of loksatta, an influential Marathi newspaper of the Indian Express Group Newspapers from 1991-2002.
Beginning his career as a college teacher for some years, he worked in capacities, which include language and literature Expert and Acquisitions Specialist at the US library of Congress Office, New Delhi and the Reference chief of the Times of India. Before becoming the editor of loksatta, he worked as the Senior Assistant Editor with Maharashtra Times. He was also a Group Editor of lokmat and Editor-Director of Sakal.
A recipient of several literary and journalism awards, Dr Tikekar was an ardent defender of Marathi media. He was also the president of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, which has a collection of more than 2 lakh books. He was also actively campaigning funds to restore books that are suffering from the damaging effects of heat, humidity and insects.
A man of letters, Dr Tikekar had authored as many as 20 books – both in Marathi and English. The book he wrote included the one that was based on his Ph.D. thesis “The kincaids – Two Generation of a British Family in the Indian Civil Service”, the trend-setting Marathi books books like Jan-Man and Sal-Kaal.
Among the English books he co-authored with Aruna Tikekara were: The cloister’s pale: a biography of the University of Mumbai and Mumbai De-Intellectualised: Rise and Decline of a Culture of Thinking.
A good orator, he delivered several memorial lectures – including the lectures on the contribution of the Justice MG Ranade, in the Convocation Hall of the University of Mumbai, which have been published in a book titled Ranade- The Renaissance Man He was also an Adjunct Professor in the Department
of Journalism and Communications, University of Pune for some time.
Not known to mince words, Dr Tikekar had earned the wrath of the Shiv Sena in 1997 for his criticism of late Bal Thackeray and the inherent contradictions in the Sena-BJP alliance which was ruling the State then.
In an editorial published its official mouth-piece “Saamana” on October 27, 1997, the Sena had dubbed Tikekar “a mad man” who deserved to be beaten up for his “senseless writing”.
Following threats by the Sena, the police had provided security cover for some days. Unfazed by threats from the Sena, Dr Tikekar continued to critical of late Thackeray and his party in the days to come as well.