Mumbai: Senior journalist, photographer, and co-founder of the Chitralekha Group, Madhuri Kotak, passed away on Thursday in Mumbai at the age of 92. Kotak was the wife of the late Vaju Kotak (founder of the Chitralekha Group). She was the first well-known female photographer in the country.
PM Narendra Modi shared, "Saddened by the demise of Madhuriben from the "Chitralekha" family. Her death is a great loss to the reading world. Prayers for the peace of Sadgat's soul and condolences to the bereaved family and his large readership...Om Shanti!!"
“ચિત્રલેખા” પરિવારના મધુરીબેનના અવસાનથી દુઃખી છું. એમનું અવસાન વાચક જગત માટે મોટી ખોટ છે. સદ્ગતના આત્માની શાંતિ માટે પ્રાર્થના તથા શોકગ્રસ્ત પરિવાર અને એમના વિશાળ વાચકવર્ગને સાંત્વના...ઓમ શાંતિ !!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 6, 2023
Kotak was an equally competent photographer in the 1960s and 1970s. After the demise of her husband, she has actively taken care of the group’s responsibilities and its most famous magazines, Chitralekha, Bij, and G. With the assistance of the 'Chitralekha' team, she elevated the three publications to a higher level.
During the early days of Chitralekha, Vaju Kotak was the editorial leader, writing nearly 80 per cent of the articles on his own. Madhuri Kotak and their loving marriage helped Vaju Kotak extensively in laying the strong foundation of Chitralekha.