LUCKNOW, May 13 -- Veteran journalist and national president of Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ), K Vikram Rao, passed away at a private hospital in Lucknow on Monday morning. Rao, 87, had been suffering from respiratory problems for some time. His mortal remains will be kept at the UP Press Club for the people to pay their last respect to the departed soul. His last rites will be performed at Bhainsakund cremation ground here at 10 am on Tuesday. Union defence minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh, in a post on X, called Rao a prolific writer and an insightful commentator. "Saddened by the demise of Dr. K. Vikram Rao, a veteran journalist who served as the National President of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ). He was a prolific writer and an insightful commentator who made noteworthy contribution to Indian journalism. My condolences to his bereaved family. Om Shanti!" he wrote. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami, UP Vidhan Sabha speaker Satish Mahana, former U.P. governor Ram Naik, U.P. deputy CM KP Maurya, U.P. minister Swatantra Dev Singh, state BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Yadav and Arvind Singh 'Gope' have expressed their grief over Rao's demise. Apart from his long career as a journalist, columnist K Vikram Rao had been a prominent voice for press freedom, better wages and working conditions for journalists. UP Working Journalist Union president Haseeb Siddiqui, UP Press Club president Ravindra Kumar Singh, UP Working Journalist Union's Lucknow division president Shiv Sharan Singh, UP Accredited Journalist Committee secretary Bharat Singh and several others also express their grief over Rao's demise and paid him tribute. Senior journalist and former secretary of IFWJ Ram Dutt Tripathi said K Vikram Rao was a journalist of exceptional organisational and writing skills and his passing is a significant loss to the journalistic community. Rao had been the bureau chief of an English daily in nine different states and also worked in the South Asia bureau of an American media house. He authored several books. He also served as a member of Indian Press Council for six years. Rao was sent to five different jails where he spent a total 13 months during the Emergency. Rao is survived by his wife Sudha Rao, two sons-Sudev Rao and Vishwa Dev Rao-and a daughter Vinita Rao....