Santosh was admitted to the hospital after he fell ill during morning walk last Saturday.

He suffered brain haemorrhage. He had been in coma since Monday and the doctors declared him clinically dead.

He left two sons, a daughter and a host of relatives, friends, colleagues and admirers to mourn his death.

His body, preserved in the ice chamber of BIRDEM hospital, will be taken to the daily Sangbad office at 10.30am today. He will lie in state there, where he was working as senior assistant editor.

At 11:00am, he will be taken to the National Press Club and to the Central Shaheed Minar at 12 noon. The coffin will be taken home at 1:00pm and from there to the crematorium in Postagola at 2pm for the funeral, Priyatosh Gupta, the youngest son of Santosh, told The Daily Star yesterday.

Born in Runshi village of Jhalokathi on January 9,1925, Santosh started his career in journalism in 1957 at the then Dainik Azad. He worked for Daily Purbakon before joining Daily Sangbad in 1965. With a career that spanned over 45 years, he had been one of the most esteemed personalities in journalism.

He actively participated in the Liberation War. He served as assistant secretary of the information department of the then Bangladesh government in exile in 1971.

He won a number of awards including Ekushey Padak in 1997 for excellence in journalism. He penned around 14 books on journalism, history and literature.

President Professor Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday in a condolence message said Santosh will be best remembered for his contributions to the field of journalism.

Awami League President and leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina expressed her deep shock at the death of Santosh Gupta and said the journalist had inspired the countrymen at times of national transition.