Restless, argumentative, consummate reporter

Shivu, as he was known to friends and colleagues, suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday morning in Belagavi, where he was covering the legislature session.
Based in Bengaluru, Shivu, 39, became a journalist in 2002, and worked with publications such as Hosa Diganta and Deccan Herald before joining TOI in 2007. Earlier this year, he was redesignated assistant editor.
A sensitive writer, Shivu was an ideologue who, despite strong liberal political convictions, never let ideology come in the way of his robust reportage. He lived every cliche of the consummate journalist -passionate about the profession, highly politically aware, often angry and frustrated, and dogged in his pursuit of a sto ry. He also had the rare ability to be on close terms with the political class while maintaining a hard-headed objectivity .
'' I requested K J George (the home minister) to bring an amendment to do away with orderlies in the police department. It is a feudal practice and it's amazing how our leaders and even bureaucrats need so much convincing to rid a system that should ideally not have space in a democracy,'' Shivu told a colleague about three weeks ago.
He broke many vital political stories, and reported several from the frontline -such as the Telgi stamp paper scam, which took his reputation to great heights, the arrest and acquittal of Dr Haneef Mohammed, a man of Indian origin living in Australia and wanted by international agencies in connection with the U K blast, and the denotification scandal in the B S Yeddyurappa-led government in Karnataka.
In the newsroom, Shivu was often argumentative and acerbic, a man who never flinched from asking the tough questions. Strangely, this never made him unpopular -only more loved and respected.
Extremely well read, Shivu named his daughter, who is two years old now, Sahitya. Our hearts go out to her, Shivu's wife Jayalakshmi, and the rest of his family. Rest in peace, restless man.