Celebrated Marathi newsreader Pradeep Bhide dies at 68

Noted Marathi newsreader Pradeep Bhide died of a prolonged illness at his residence here on Tuesday, a former colleague of his said.Bhide (68), who worked for Doordarshan (Marathi), gained popularity in the late 1980s and 90s when television sets had entered middle-class households and the state-run news channel was the only audio-visual format available for viewers. Bhide’s dignified voice, clear pronunciations and a pleasant personality remained unchanged during his 35-year-long career as a newsreader at Mumbai Doordarshan. He was suffering from an irrecoverable ailment for a long time,” she said.Bhide was also involved in the Marathi theatre scene.Bhide is survived by his wife, son and daughter.