Guwahati, Sept. 30: Veteran journalist and editor of several newspapers, Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, passed away at a city hospital at 9.20am today.

He was 84. Bhagawati is survived by two sons and a daughter. He was cremated with state honours at Bhootnath cremation ground here today.

Bhagawati, who was fighting chronic knee pain, developed chest pain after he was admitted to the hospital. He died after a cardiac arrest.

Born at Jamugurihat in central Assam's Sonitpur district on January 19, 1933, Bhagawati, an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, began his career as a sub-editor at Natun Asomiya.

He joined Ramdhenu magazine in 1960 and became its editor in 1964.

He also edited Natun Asomiya for some time besides several newspapers such as the Tinidinia Batori and Ajir Asom. He also worked as a part-time faculty of the journalism and mass communication department of Gauhati University for two years.

Outgoing Assam governor Banwarilal Purohit and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal condoled Bhagawati's demise.

'For over 50 years, Bhagawati acted as a conscience of the people through his pen and guided the state through thick and thin. He was the first recipient of Republic Day Journalism Award, which was instituted by the Government of Assam. He was also active in the field of literature and received the Sahitya Akademi award for translation. I feel deeply saddened to hear the news of his demise and pray for eternal peace of his departed soul,' Sonowal said.

Bhagawati won several awards such as Harendranath Barua Award, Ramkrishna Jaydayal Sampriti Award, RN Borooah and Protiva Borooah Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award and Shiva Prasad Barooah National Media Award.

Bhagawati bagged the Sahitya Akademi award for translating Chanchal Sarkar's The Story Of Our Newspaper into Assamese, Aamar Batori Kakotor Kahini. He had also published 16 books.

The All Assam Students' Union, the Assam BJP, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, the Asom Gana Parishad, the All India United Democratic Front condoled Bhagawati's death.

Former chief ministers Tarun Gogoi and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the Journalist Association of Assam, the National Union of Journalists, the CPM and the All Assam Minority Students' Union also condoled the journalist's demise.