Renowned Author Kailash Chandra Pant Passes Away at 90

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Kailash Chandra Pant, a celebrated author and recipient of the Padma Shri award, passed away on Friday at the age of 90. Family members confirmed the news, stating that he had been unwell for some time and succumbed to cardiac arrest early that morning.

His elder brother, Chandrashekhar Pant, shared a heartfelt message announcing the loss of his younger sibling, who was also the father of Preeti, Nivedita, and Aditi, and a former minister-director of Hindi Bhavan in Bhopal. He mentioned that Pant's last rites would be held on Saturday at the Bhadbhada cremation ground.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences over Pant's demise and paid tribute to him. In a post on social media, he noted Pant's long-standing involvement with the Madhya Pradesh Rashtraprakar Samiti, emphasizing that his contributions would always be remembered. He prayed for the departed soul to find peace and for the bereaved family to have the strength to endure their loss.

Born on April 26, 1936, in Mahu, Indore, Pant hailed from Khantoli village in Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand. His family relocated to Madhya Pradesh for work, where his father, Liladhar Pant, and mother, Haripriya Pant, raised him. Pant served as a lecturer at the Union Theological Seminary in Indore and later became the principal of the Panchayat Raj Training Center in Bhopal.

He also edited several literary magazines, including 'Shiksha Pradeep', 'Jandharma', and 'Doorgami Aahwan'. As the director of Hindi Bhavan in Bhopal, Pant held significant roles in various organizations, such as the Bharat Krishak Samaj, Rashtraprakar Samiti, and the Madhya Bharat Hindi Sahitya Samiti. His notable works include 'Kaun Kiska Aadmi', 'Dhundh Ke Aarpaar', 'Shabd Ka Vichar-Path', and 'Shailesh Matiyani: Srijan Yatra'.

This year, he was honored with the Padma Shri for his contributions to Hindi literature. Previously, he received several prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Bhushan Samman, Nirala Sahitya Samman, Sahitya Shiromani Samman, and the Sanskriti Gaurav Samman.