Bhubaneswar: A rich tribute was paid to departed soul of senior journalist Ranjit Guru at Sambad Bhawan here today.

Entire Sambad Group including Kanak News, Odisha Sun Times and Radio Choklate paid floral tribute to Guru after his body reached the office at around 11.00 am.

Expressing deep grief over demise of Guru, Sambad Editor Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said, "I am deeply saddened by early departure of my colleague. He was a pillar of Sambad."

Political leaders expressed condolence over demise of the senior journalist.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote:

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ସାମ୍ବାଦିକ ତଥା ସ୍ତମ୍ଭକାର ରଣଜିତ ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଖବରକାଗଜରେ ନିଜ ସ୍ତମ୍ଭ 'ଅପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗ' ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଅନେକ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବିଷୟରେ ଆଲୋଚନା କରି ନିଜର ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର ପରିଚୟ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିଥିଲେ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି।

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 18, 2019

Media fraternity also condoled death of Guru, who was associated with 'Sambad' since its inception.

The last rites will be held in Sambalpur today.

The 61-year-old Guru passed away at a private hospital on Saturday midnight while undergoing treatment for Pneumonia. He was admitted to the KIMS Hospital on August 1 following an infection. He was put on a ventilator after his condition deteriorated recently.

Journalist Ranjit Guru (at centre) during a programme (File Pic).

Born in Bargarh, Guru had started his career as a journalist in Sambalpur after pursuing MA and M.Phil degrees. He joined Sambad in the year 1984 and worked as the Sambalpur district correspondent till 1990. Currently, he was working as the Editor of Sambad's Editorial page. During his 30 years of journalism career, he had also contributed to the newspapers like 'Anandabazar Patrika' and 'The Asian Age'.