Rita Jitendra, who was described by the Indian Telegraph as a “broadcasting legend,” died earlier this week during a live morning show TV interview. The academic, writer, author and artist was 81.
“She was telling us a few interesting things about her life and was looking absolutely normal,” the anchor of the show, Zahid Mukhtar, told the Telegraph. “But suddenly she stopped talking and began having hiccups. We had to cut the interview (and switch to) a documentary to attend to her and take her to hospital.”
Jitendra was declared dead upon arrival by doctors at Srinagar’s SMHS hospital.