Imphal, August 09 2010: Publisher, Editor and owner of popular vernacular daily Poknapham, Shamurailatpam Gopal Sharma passed away due to his own illness at Shija Hospital, Langol in Imphal West district early this morning.

He was 63 .

He is survived by his wife, Shamurailatpam Ongbi Shanti Devi, two sons and two daughters.

He was being treated at Shija Hospital for quite some time.

Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi has expressed profound grief at the sudden demise of editor Sh Gopal Sharma due to his illness.

"We are all indebted to him for his invaluable service in the field of journalism that he contributed towards the state for a long time," a condolence message of the Chief Minister stated.

The Chief Minister also shared the sorrow of the grief-stricken family and the journalists of Manipur.

Earlier, the lifeless body of the much respected publisher/editor was brought to the premises of Manipur Press Club at Majorkhul, where journalists, ministers, MLA, political leaders, well-wishers, etc paid last respects and offered floral tributes to the mortal remains.

He was a founder member of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and Manipur Press Club.

AMWJU and editors convened and emergency meeting on the premises of the Manipur Press Club this morning to condole the sudden demise of the publisher/editor/owner.

All who attended the meeting stood for two minutes in silence to pay respect to the departed soul.

Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Cooperation, Yumkham Irabot, Minister of IFCD and Youth Affairs & Sports, N Biren and Deputy Chairman of Manipur State Planning Board, MLA Bijoy Koijam attended the ceremony and took part in offering floral tributes to the departed publisher/editor.

Those who attended the condolence ceremony remembered the secrifices, contributions and achievements that he made during his long and fruitful career as a journalist and publisher.

It was also noted that his untimely death is a great loss to not only Poknapham daily but also to the jounalism of Manipur.

Born on July 23, 1947 and graduated from Gauhati University, Gopal Sharma had joined a vernacular daily Paojel in 1970 as a reporter.

He became the Joint Editor of the same daily later.

In 1980, he took over the Poknapham daily which became a leading vernacular daily.

He was awarded the Best Editor Award by the Rotary Club, Imphal in 1997 and the State Journalist Award given by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) in 2003 .

Gopal Sharma had been credited for the advancements made in media of Manipur during the past one and half decade or so.

Meanwhile, many other personalities, organisations have expressed condolence over his death.

Former News Editor of All India Radio Imphal, Regional News Unit, and media expert, Seram Mangi has expressed profound shock and sorrow at the successful publisher/editor/owner's death.

In a message of condolence, Seram Mangi said, "Gopal Sharma was a fearless journalist with a high sense of integrity.

His demise is a great loss to Manipur's Journalism.

His contributions towards development of jounalism in the post-statehood period of Manipur had been remarkable" .

General Secretary of Manipur People's Party, Y Mangi, Secretary, Manipur State Council CPI, L Iboyaima, Secretariat Member, CPI (M) Manipur State Committee, Kshetrimayum Santa, Secretary, IPR, UCM, Kh Nillamani Kha-nganba, General Secretary of Naharol Sahitya Premee Samiti, Yaima Haoba, Vice-President of AMADA, Y Sundari Leima, etc have, in different press releases issued this evening, deeply condoled the sudden demise of Sh Gopal Sharma.

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