Veteran journalist Amalendu Kundu, a noted chronicler of Sikkim and the Eastern Himalayas, died at his residence in Howrah, West Bengal, on the evening of Saturday, July 4, 2026, after suffering age-related ailments. He was in his 80s. Kundu’s death removes a long-standing voice on the region’s politics, security and social change.
Kundu began reporting on Sikkim in the late 1970s and maintained a continuous engagement with the state for more than five decades. He spent over four decades as a Special Correspondent for a leading national daily, becoming one of the earliest mainstream reporters to consistently cover Sikkim’s political, socio-economic and strategic developments for national audiences.
Known for thorough field reporting, Kundu tracked Sikkim’s post-statehood evolution and border dynamics, bringing sustained attention to issues along India’s frontiers with China, Nepal and Bhutan via the Sikkim corridor. His dispatches from Gangtok and other border districts documented administrative transitions, infrastructure expansion in sensitive areas, and shifts in the state’s social and political landscape.
Beyond reporting, Kundu served as advisor to the Press Club of Sikkim from 2013 to 2017, helping to strengthen the institution’s administrative and financial foundations, including facilitating bank accounts and securing institutional backing. The club described him as a mentor and constant source of encouragement, saying, “Whether at public events or press conferences, his presence reflected his unwavering commitment to journalism.”
Kundu also followed developments in the Darjeeling hills and adjacent areas, often framing local stories within the broader strategic context of the Eastern Himalayas. He authored works examining the region’s geopolitical positioning and was honored with the Kashiraj Pradhan Lifetime Journalism Award by the Government of Sikkim in 2018 during the Statehood celebrations.
Colleagues and younger journalists remember Kundu as a link to an older tradition of reporting that emphasized depth, verification and long-term observation. His passing is widely viewed as the loss of a steady, informed presence in coverage of a strategically important and often under-reported region.
Original Source: https://www.sikkimexpress.com/news-details/veteran-journalist-amalendu-kundu-chronicler-of-sikkims-strategic-landscape-passes-away
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