RAJEEV Jha, a senior colleague in the editorial team of Loklahar, died of a sudden cardiac arrest on the intervening night of August 10-11. He suffered a massive heart attack suddenly and without any pre-symptoms and did not even get a chance to reach the nearest hospital. He was over 70 years old.

Rajiv Jha was born on January 21,  1952, in a well-educated family in Bihar. His father was a doctor and a senior medical administrator. Rajiv Jha came to the Russian Language Center of Jawaharlal Nehru University, under the inspiration of his uncle, the famous historian D N Jha, during the Emergency period to pursue his graduation. It was here that he became active in leftist student politics through the SFI and became a member of the CPI(M) in 1978.

In 1979-80, he joined the managerial department of the Party's central papers as a full-time worker and remained a full-time worker of the Party. Due to his interest in photography, he also worked for some time in the Party press, Progressive Printers.

Comrade  Rajeev Jha had been working for the past several years as part of the editorial team of Loklahar. Among other things, he was specifically responsible for the column "Sankshipt Samachar", which attempts to cover the day-to-day activities of the Party and mass organisations of the Hindi-speaking region. Even before giving a full stop to life, he had prepared and sent a short news column for this issue.

The body of Comrade Rajeev Jha was kept in the CPI(M) Central Office, A K Gopalan Bhavan on the morning of August 11, and later in the afternoon, cremation was done at the CNG crematorium at Nigam Bodh Ghat. CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury and Polit Bureau Members Brinda Karat and Nilotpal Basu, several all India and Delhi state leaders of the Party and leaders of mass organisations and hundreds of workers, sympathisers and acquaintances of the departed Comrade, gave him their last farewell.

Comrade Rajiv Jha's daughter, Prachi is engaged in research work and his wife, Anju Jha is among the leading colleagues in the Janwadi Mahila Samiti in Delhi and the Party. The Loklahar family condoles the passing of their dear friend and extends their heartfelt condolences to his family members.