Senior journalist Bhairab Risal died on Saturday night. He was 97.

Risal, who was suffering from heart- and lung-related ailments, died while undergoing treatment at the Baneshwar-based Frontline Hospital, the Rastriya Samachar Samiti reported quoting his younger brother Puru Risal.

Senior journalist Risal, who was honoured with various awards on human rights and environment, ran a programme ‘Uhile bajeka palama’ on Radio Sagarmatha.

The left-leaning Risal also fought for a parliamentary seat from Bhaktapur in 1991 on the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party ticket.

He worked as chief reporter in the state-run Rastriya Samachar Samiti. Before that he worked with the Central Bureau of Statistics (now the National Statistics Office). As an enumerator during the 1961 census, Risal had visited farwestern Nepal’s Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas, which are currently occupied by India, and counted the households.

He authored several publications including ‘Sadhulai Suli’ (a jail diary), ‘Logneswasni’, ‘Kehi mitraka chithi’ and ‘Bhairab dai’. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.