Jammu, Nov 4 (PTI) Madan Lal Mantoo, veteran journalist and former deputy director of Department of Information and Public Relations, Jammu and Kashmir, died of a cardiac arrest in the early hours of Wednesday. He was 74.
Mantoo complained of uneasiness late Tuesday night and was rushed to hospital, where he breathed his last around 4 am, his son Vikas Mantoo said.
Madan Mantoo is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
A large number of people from different walks of life, including members of the media fraternity, government officials and political leaders, attended his last rites. National Conference provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta was among those who attended the cremation.
Originally from north Kashmir's Baramulla, Mantoo served the Jammu and Kashmir government's Information Department in various capacities, including press officer to former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, deputy director public relations and director public relations at Raj Bhawan. He retired from government service at the age of 58.
A law graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication, Mantoo continued his association with journalism after retirement. He was serving as executive editor of a leading Jammu-based newspaper.
He also served as provincial spokesperson of the National Conference and headed its Jammu Media Cell for several years after retirement. He later distanced himself from the party following the exit of then provincial president Devender Singh Rana, who joined the BJP in October 2021.
The Department of Information and Public Relations condoled his demise at a meeting attended by Director Information Mamta Yadav and other senior officers.
Paying tributes, they recalled his contributions to writing and public relations and described him as an affable colleague and an inspiring mentor. A two-minute silence was observed in his memory.
