Ailing Author, Journalist looks to Govt. for assistance

Former Chief Minister Major-Gen BC Khanduri, retd (AVSM), visited the house of ailing eminent author and senior journalist Sudhir Thapliyal in Mussoorie today. Khanduri met Sudhir and enquired about his health.

Sudhir informed the former Chief Minister about his recent operation and the need for financial assistance for the dialysis as prescribed by the doctors. Sudhir’s father was the Principal of Ghananand Inter College that was donated by Khanduri’s grandfather.

Later, speaking to the mediapersons, Khanduri said it was sad that a senior journalist of such a repute was feeling neglected in the state for which he had fought his whole life. Khanduri regretted the fact that he was meeting his old friend Sudhir after a long time, but was feeling glad after meeting him.

Speaking on the financial assistance in such cases, Khanduri said many cases were being expedited through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in general cases.

Sudhir, thanking the leader, presented a book “Mansoori Macabre” written by him on the occasion.

Sudhir was born in Mussoorie and joined the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, as an Air Force cadet. A graduate of the University of Allahabad, he did his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata. He worked as a senior journalist for a newspaper in Calcutta, now Kolkota, from 1967 to 1979 and Editor of a national magazine.

Sudhir has also written a book called “Mansoori Macabre”, a murder mystery based on the true story that occurred in Mussoorie several years back. Thapliyal is a 1972 Fellow of the World Press Institute, St Paul, Minn (USA). He was also nominated for the Rhodes in 1967. Since 1965 many of his short stories and features have been published in leading Sunday supplements, The Financial Times, London.