Eminent Hindi author and essayist Krishna Sobti passed away on Friday in Delhi, family sources said. She was 93.
The author breathed her last in a Delhi hospital this morning, where she was admitted for the last two months, Ashok Maheshwari, a friend and managing director of Rajkamal Prakashan, said.
“She was about to complete her 94 years in February, so an age factor was there no doubt. For the last one week she was in the ICU. Even after being extremely sick, she was very much aware of her thoughts, about what was happening in the society,” Maheshwari said.
Born in 1925 in Gujrat, Pakistan’s Punjab Province, Ms. Sobti was known for writing about issues of female identity and sexuality. She was renowned for experimenting with new writing styles and creating “bold” and “daring” characters in her stories who were ready to accept all challenges. Her language was highly influenced by the intermingling of Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi cultures.
Some of her celebrated works include Daar Se Bichhudi , Mitro Marjani , Zindaginama , Dil-o-Danish , Badalom ke Ghere , Ai Ladki and Gujarat Pakistan Se Gujarat Hindustan. Several of her works have been translated into other Indian languages and also in Swedish, Russian and English.
She was a recipient of many coveted awards like Sahitya Akademi, Jnanpith awards and was also offered Padma Bhushan, which she had declined. She also received Hindi Akademi Awards, Shiroman Awards, Maithli Sharan Gupt Samman, among others.
