Litterateur Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya dead

Jnanpith award-winner Dr Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya died after a brief illness at the medical college hospital in Guwahati on Wednesday night. He was 73.

A former president of the Asom Sahitya Sabha, the premier literary organisation of the state, Dr Bhattacharyya authored over 50 books and was best known for his two masterpieces-- Yaruimgam and Mrityunjoy. He won the Jnanpith award for Mrityunjoy in 1979. The book was based on the country's freedom struggle. He also won the Sahitya Akademi award for Yaruingam in 1963. He was the president of the Sahitya Akademi from 1992 till 1995. Bhattacharyya was also a journalist and editor of Ramdhanu, an Assamese magazine.

Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta described Bhattacharyya as a visionary and a man of letters who belonged not only to Assam but to the entire country.

Bhattacharyya's last rites will be performed at the Nabagraha crematorium on Calcutta on Thursday. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.