Noted Bengali poet Sankha Ghosh dies after testing positive for Covid-19

Padma Bhushan awardee Sankha Ghosh was suffering from several comorbidities and had to be hospitalised earlier this year after his health condition deteriorated

Noted Bengali poet Sankha Ghosh, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on April 14, died at his residence Kolkata on Wednesday.

Poet Sankha Ghosh. (HT archive)

The 90-year-old Padma Bhushan awardee was advised home isolation, a health department official said.

Ghosh was suffering from several comorbidities and had to be hospitalised earlier this year after his health condition deteriorated.

Besides the Padma Bhushan, Ghosh had also been conferred the Jnanpith, Shaitya Akademi awards, and Rabindra Puraskar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed their condolences over Ghosh’s death.

“Shri Shankha Ghosh will be remembered for his contributions to Bengali and Indian literature. His works were widely read and admired. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Ghosh was known for being vocal on various social and political issues, be it against the killings in Nandigram during the Left Front regime, or the TMC over the pre-poll violence in 2018.

“He was like a father, a guardian and conscience of the society. I am heartbroken. I know what I have lost and very soon, the literary circle would feel the void,” said poet Joy Goswami.