Prominent Journalist G. Vinod Passes Away
Thiruvananthapuram: G. Vinod, 54, a distinguished Special Correspondent for Malayala Manorama in Thiruvananthapuram, has passed away. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the capital city.
Vinod was the son of the late Gopinath Panicker, a retired Statistics Officer from Kerala University, and Ramadevi, a former employee of Kerala University. He resided at Sharada Nivas, Murinjapalam, near the Medical College. He is survived by his wife, Sindhu Suryakumar, who serves as the Executive Editor at Asianet News, and his son, Ishan, a fifth-grade student at Lacol Chempaka School in Idavakkode, Sreekaryam.
Throughout his career, G. Vinod was renowned for his exceptional investigative reports and significant scoops, particularly those related to the Home Department and police affairs. His dedication to truth-seeking led him to undertake challenging assignments, including traveling to Malaysia to investigate the suicide of a Pratibelle company official, Leasie Bin, which was linked to the non-receipt of contract money for a World Bank-aided MC Road renovation project. He also journeyed to Bhutan to uncover fraud in inter-state lotteries.
His outstanding contributions to journalism were recognized with numerous accolades, including awards from the State Government, the Press Academy, the Mumbai Press Club, and the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club for his excellent reporting and investigative prowess. In 2005, he was honored with Malayala Manorama’s prestigious Chief Editor’s Gold Medal for Best Journalist.
Vinod began his journalism career at Rashtradeepika before joining Malayala Manorama in 2002, where he worked in the Thiruvananthapuram bureau since. He was also the Union Chairman during his time at Chempazhanthi SN College.
Public viewing of Vinod’s body is scheduled for Sunday. It will be held at “Nivedyam” house, Sreechitra Quarters, Kumarapuram, at 9 AM, followed by viewings at the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club at 3 PM, and subsequently at the Malayala Manorama office. The cremation will take place at Thycaud Santhikavadam at 4 PM.