Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the death of eminent journalist and his long-term friend Cho Ramaswamy fondly remembering his close association with the former Rajya Sabha member.
Recalling one of his interactions with Cho, Modi tweeted how the ‘feisty’ journalist introduced him as the ‘Merchant of Death.’
The feisty Cho Ramaswamy introduces me as the 'Merchant of Death.' Do watch this memorable interaction. https://t.co/2FsF64sVvH
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2016
I returned the favour, but don't think I matched Cho's eloquence. Hear what I said about him. https://t.co/wPxYLc1fTb
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2016
Modi also called him a multidimensional personality with a fearless voice. “Above all, Cho Ramaswamy was a dear friend. I have been to his annual readers meeting which were an unprecedented editor reader interface…Cho Ramaswamy was insightful, frank & brilliant. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family & countless readers of Thuglak,” Modi tweeted.
The veteran journalist and political commentator died at the age of 82 following a cardiac arrest. He breathed his last at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai where late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa also died on Monday.
He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
He was the founder editor of Thuqlaq magazine and was a known satirist. Apart from his political know-how, he also acted in many movies and featured with top actors like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.
Modi has had a long association with Cho. In August 2015, Modi had set up an impromptu meeting with Cho to enquire about his health. “Spent some time with ‘Cho’ Ramaswamy. I enquired about his health,” Modi had tweeted after the meeting.
Speaking to reporters later, Ramaswamy had then said that the meeting was purely personal and there was no discussion around politics. “He is my long time friend and came to enquire about my health,” he had said.
