Vijayaraghavan Ramamurthi

https://www.moneylife.in/article/in-memoriam-r-vijayaraghavan-1948-...

In Memoriam – R Vijayaraghavan (1948-2012) Moneylife Digital Team 31 July 2012 14 Well-known journalist and Consulting Editor and columnist of Moneylife, R Vijayaraghavan, passed away in the early hours of Tuesday. He will be deeply missed

Moneylife columnist and consulting editor R Vijayaraghavan passed away of a sudden cardiac arrest on 30 July 2012 at Pune. Known as Viji to friends, he spent decades with Business Standard (the ABP group) at Delhi and Kolkata. He also did a long stint with the Economic Times. He moved to Chennai in the early '90s helping launch the The Hindu Business Line.

Viji was among the rare journalists who excelled at editing as well as reportage. His sharp nose for news and his ability to make friends and build excellent sources at the highest levels of the government and bureaucracy ensured that his articles were front pages headlines several times a week at Business Standard as well as The Economic Times. A voracious reader with huge modern classics on English literature. With an eventful life behind him and a sharp sense of humour, he was able to regale friends and colleagues with quotations and many gripping and funny anecdotes. He was always keen on teaching youngsters the art and craft of journalism. Viji was also considered a brilliant bridge player in the Chennai bridge circles and a golfer with a fine touch around the greens.

He hailed from one of the most illustrious families in Chennai. His grandmother was Rukmini Lakshmipathi, a famous freedom fighter. He is the son of Dr Indira Ramamurthy and Dr B Ramamurthy, who were two of the finest neurosurgeons in the country. He would have been an excellent surgeon as well. However, unlike his brother and parents, he chose to be a journalist. He is survived by son Vivek and daughter Lavanya. Viji will be cremated at Pune later this evening. He will be deeply missed.

Ravi Srinivasan, a former colleague of Vijayaraghavan at Business Standard writes: I can't still come to grips with the fact that R Vijayaraghavan, better known to all as Viji, is no more. One of the stars of the 'old' BS, who made a small paper from Calcutta competitive and relevant in Delhi even though it used to reach three days late (remember, it was the age before Internet). Viji lit up the newsroom with his presence. He brought passion to everything he did -- whether it was journalism, or talking cricket, or playing golf or bridge or taking on young whippersnappers (including yours truly) in everything from pun contests to speed cryptic crosswords to Wodehouse quotes to Phantom comic trivia quizzes. He was one of those who egged me on to becoming a journalist and was ever ready with help, advice and sometimes, deserved admonition. Viji later had a key role to play in setting up Businessline. I last met him a few months ago. He was bubbly as ever, talking about getting back to golf and investigative journalism after one of the many breaks forced upon him by his often uncertain health. Will be sorely missed