Senior Marathi journalist Ashok Yalgi passed away early this morning. He was 82.
Yalagi, a MA (Marathi literature) graduate was Chief Reporter of Tarun Bharath a premier Marathi daily. Before joining Tarun Bharath he had launched Avaliya a weekly but it did not survived long.
The entire family of Yalagi is famous for freedom struggle , Goa liberation agitation and also border dispute agitations. A few persons of this family were born in jail as the women of the family were also jailed because of their participation in freedom struggle.
Ashok Yalagi though a strong supporter of pro Maharashtra had lot of Kannada friends. During 80’s the Marathi and Kannada journalists were moving togather and were to attend functions and press meets to gather.
Yalagi wrote several special reports which created havoc in political circles as well as in social fields. His style of writing was explosive and that made him a household name in Belagavi.
His friendship in literary circle was also vast. Usually Marathi writers from Maharashtra who were to visit Belagavi were to meet him as they were all his friends.
interestingly Kannada journalists were to write in favour of Karnataka and Marathi journalists were to write in favour of Maharashtra sitting around one table!
Yalagi after retirement joined Lokamanya society launched by Kiran and was in charge of its cultural wing. He started Lokamanya library and was to conduct literay functions regularily.
He was also President of Belgaum press club and President of Ajantha film society.
He also started Moudya nivarana samiti ( committee for eradication of blind beliefs) .
He is survived by wife , a son and a daughter, grand children
Dr Sarjoo Katkar
Belagavi.