Renowned Bengali writer and Sahitya Akademi awardee Dibyendu Palit died here Thursday due to age-related ailments, his family said.

Palit’s death followed that of well-known Bengali poet Nirendranath Chakraborty on December 25.

The 79-year-old writer, who is survived by his only son, breathed his last at a private hospital in Jadavpur at around 11 am, they said.

His wife had predeceased him.

The last rites will be performed after his son, who stays abroad reaches here, the family said.

Palit, who was conferred the Sahitya Akademi for his novel ‘Anubhab’ in 1998, had been confined to his home for past three years due to age-related ailments.

He was taken to the hospital from his south Kolkata residence on Wednesday night after his condition deteriorated.

Expressing grief over his death, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted “Saddened at the passing away of veteran writer Dibyendu Palit. My condolences to his family.”

Novels and awards

Born in Bhagalpur in Bihar in 1939, Palit had studied comparative literature in Jadavpur University and his first short story ‘Chhandopatan’ was published in 1955.

It was followed by his first novel ‘Sindhu Baroan’ published in 1959.

He was awarded the ‘Bankim Purashkar’ for ‘Dheu’ in 1990 and ‘Ananda Purashkar’ in 1984 for ‘Sahojoddha’

Palit’s short story ‘Mukhabhinoy’ had been adapted by theatre personality Shyamanand Jalan for his only big screen venture Eashwar Mime Co’

Film maker Tapan Sinha’s ‘Antardhan’ was also based on a short story by Palit.

Well-known publisher and Secretary of Publishers and Booksellers Guild, Tridib Chatterjee said, “We have lost Ramapada Choudhury, Nirendranath Chakraborty last year and today we lost Dibyendu Palit. We are losing our mentors one by one.”

“The Guild will pay tribute to these personalities in the coming International Kolkata Book Fair,” he said.

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