Ex DG Of AIR Rita Mukherjee Passes Away At 81

Radio producer Rita Mukherjee, a prominent name in the industry, who has a number of wonderful show productions to her name, has passed away, a former director-general of All India Radio (AIR) said on Thursday.   

Tributes poured in from various quarters as news about her demise circulated on social media. Fayyaz Shehryar, former DG of AIR, said, "The news is distressing".

"She lived alone in south Delhi. Rita Mukherjee was the chief producer of the National Programme of Features at AIR when she attained the age of superannuation, about 20 years ago. She produced a number of wonderful shows and excelled in the medium. She held the highest standards of broadcasting uncompromisingly," he said.

The former top official of the AIR said a maid alerted local police who then broke open the door to enter her house recently. Her body was then sent for post-mortem, meaning she had died at her home, alone and it is terrible, he said.

 "She received #MelvilledeMellow's baton of creative broadcasting & upheld the ethics & served the Public as per the mandate, didn't spare anyone who tried to defile or denigrate the hard-earned reputation of @AkashvaniAIR. And now, at 81, she leaves for the next destination," Shehryar tweeted.

 In his Facebook post, he wrote: "Today as I hear of passing away of Madam Rita Mukherjee, I gaze at the non-existent tree she watered, nurtured as the chief producer of National Programme of Features. She produced broadcast marvels on delicate subjects and attracted international attention too. She chose to wed to radio and adopt creative broadcasting and live a life as the seeress of communicators who in the early nineties said with confidence that 'things in broadcasting will see professionals carrying begging bowls asking for mercy'. Rita Ji was confident, intrepid, principled and taught us to follow the conscience and do without caring for consequences".

 Broadcaster Rajiv Mehrotra also paid homage to her in a Facebook post. "Deeply saddened to hear of the passing away of Rita JI (Mukherjee). An icon of Public Broadcasting, she nurtured & empowered generations of young Delhi students to find their voice and articulate their passions in the 1970s while experimenting with radio. Many went on to climb the high peaks of professional achievement in broadcasting and the media but also in diverse fields - Yuva Vani was one of the finest examples of democratized independent public broadcasting for & by the young (sic)", read the post. 

 "She was a mentor, inspiration, and guide in my own modest work as a broadcaster. She was 'Didi', an older sister who helped me navigate many a dark night of my teenage universe with a deep sense of empathy, affection, and faith in my future. I owe her so much. May she stay ever blessed!!!!," he wrote.