Anil Dharker, Journalist Who Founded Mumbai Lit Fest, Passes Away

The 74-year-old served as a columnist, an architect, and member of the advisory committee of the film censor board.

Veteran journalist and writer Anil Dharker passed away on Friday, 26 March, after he underwent a bypass procedure in Mumbai, reported news agency PTI.

The 74-year-old, who founded the Mumbai Literary Festival (MLF), has served many roles as a columnist, an architect, and member of the advisory committee of the film censor board.

Apart from the MLF, Dharker also founded Literature Live! which holds literary meets throughout the year in Mumbai.

He also played a key role in the building of Akashwani Auditorium in south Mumbai, which is an art movie theatre.

Journalists and writers took to social media to express their condolences.

Devastated to hear about Anil Dharker. He epitomised the caring & socially concerned Mumbai intellectual.He elevated every job he did from promoting art cinema to editing mags to running Lit Live.
In 1984 he gave me my first column. A great loss to India & to me personally. pic.twitter.com/sC1SaQg2sO

— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) March 26, 2021

Very sad news. Anil Dharker, writer, poet, journalist, editor, curator of the wonderful Tata lit fest, cricket fanatic but most importantly, a caring humane citizen of Mumbai and India has passed away. Will be much missed . RIP my friend!🙏

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 26, 2021

Extremely saddened by the passing of the many talented Anil Dharker. I can safely say no other Indian Litfest curator had his deep, emotional commitment or drive. Knew him for well nigh 50 years. Flourish as much up there, dear Anil.

— bachi karkaria (@bachikarkaria) March 26, 2021

Shocked and stunned to hear about the demise of Mr Anil Dharker. He was my mentor. He helped me in my writing career when I was a nobody. He launched every book of mine, including and since Immortals of Meluha. I often told Mr Dharker that he was my lucky charm. pic.twitter.com/ga8vLhAXLg

— Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) March 26, 2021