Journalist Rohit Sardana, who was one of the top anchors of Hindi TV news channel AajTak, passed away on Friday. According to reports, Rohit had contracted COVID-19 and is unclear whether he had fully recovered. He is said to have succumbed to a heart attack.
The journalist was with Zee news for several years, before he joined AajTak in 2017. His most popular show 'Dangal', featured debate panels but had also been controversial for its rhetoric. He was awarded the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Puraskar by the Indian government in 2018.
Several people took to Twitter to express their condolences.
More terrible news friends. Well known Tv news anchor Rohit Sardana has passed away. Had a heart attack this morning. Deep condolences to his family. RIP
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) April 30, 2021
अब से थोड़ी पहले @capt_ivane का फ़ोन आया।उसने जो कहा सुनकर मेरे हाथ काँपने लगे।हमारे मित्र और सहयोगी रोहित सरदाना की मृत्यु की ख़बर थी।ये वाइरस हमारे इतने क़रीब से किसी को उठा ले जाएगा ये कल्पना नहीं की थी।इसके लिए मैं तैयार नहीं था।ये भगवान की नाइंसाफ़ी है..
— Sudhir Chaudhary (@sudhirchaudhary) April 30, 2021
ॐ शान्ति
Shocking news.... yet to believe that #COVID19India took away @Rohitsardana77 ....... is it true.... still not able to believe. He was an ace anchor associated with @aajtak https://t.co/6dfw5OBtvD pic.twitter.com/5LidgO2v1V
— dinesh akula (@dineshakula) April 30, 2021
Senior Journalist & Anchor Rohit Sardana passes away this is cruel
— Payal Mehta/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) April 30, 2021
Just being told that senior journalist & popular anchor Rohit Sardana has passed away. This is extremely shocking & deeply disturbing. Heartfelt condolences. Om shanti! pic.twitter.com/4SpXcGiwAX
— Priti Gandhi - प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) April 30, 2021
Heartbreaking news coming in. Senior journalist Rohit Sardana passes away. Ab bas bhi karo Bhagwan.
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) April 30, 2021
Earlier on Friday, former Attorney General of India Soli Sorabjee had succumbed to COVID-19 when he was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi. The 91-year-old had served as the Attorney General of India from 1989-90 and then from 1998-2004.
Meanwhile, India registered 3.86 lakh new coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours ending on Thursday, the highest single-day rise so far, pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1.87 crore. More than 19 lakh (19,20,107) tests were conducted in the span of 24 hours, making it the highest single-day tests done in India.
India's total active caseload has reached 31.70 lakh and now comprises 16.90% of the country's total infections. A net increase of 85,414 cases have been recorded in the total active caseload in a day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on Friday amid the rising cases. The meeting of the council of ministers is the first in the aftermath of the second wave of COVID-19 in the country. Sources said the pandemic and the response of the government is likely to be discussed in the virtual meet.
With PTI inputs