Rajkumar Keswani was an Indian journalist, writer, film historian, and film distributor. |
He is known as the whistleblower of the 1984 Bhopal disaster, wherein over 500,000 people were exposed to a toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide pesticide plant. |
On 21 May 2021, Keswani passed away due to post Covid-19 complications. |
He was born into a Sindhi family, and his father, Dada Laxman Das Keswani, was a journalist, writer, social reformer, and freedom fighter. |
In 1964, he founded a Sindhi newspaper called Challenge. |
Keswani began his career as a sub-editor at Sports Times during his college days. |
He contributed to various publications such as The New York Times, India Today, and The Indian Express. |
In 1981, concern for the Union Carbide factory arose when his friend warned him about the risk of a gas leak. |
Keswani wrote articles warning about the dangers of the pesticide plant two years before the gas leak. |
His report gained national attention when The Indian Express published it. |
Keswani's final article on the Bhopal disaster was published five months before the tragedy. |
He was considered eccentric for his obsession with the Union Carbide plant. |
Keswani mentioned an Indian bureaucrat advising Union Carbide to relocate the plant due to the nearby residential expansion. |
His predictions about the Bhopal tragedy came true in 1984. |
He noted his 'journalistic failure' during an awards speech in 1985. |
Keswani worked closely with survivor organizations in Bhopal. |
He held notable editorial positions in various media outlets. |
Keswani had a deep passion for cinema and authored several books on films and music. |
He was involved in the film industry before pursuing journalism. |
Keswani was working on a book about the film 'Mother India' before his passing. |
He also authored books on Bollywood classics and journalism. |
He was associated with the family-run Keswani Foundation. |
In 2021, he tested positive for COVID-19 and received treatment at different hospitals. |
Rajkumar Keswani inspired characters in Bollywood and a Netflix series. |
He was an avid supporter of hockey players in Bhopal. |