Kashmir’s renowned poet Rehman Rahi dies at 98

SRINAGAR — Kashmir’s renowned poet and Gayanpeth awardee, Professor Rehman Rahi is no more. He was 98.

According to the news agency KDC, Rahi died during the wee hours on Monday at his Vicharnag residence in the Summer capital Srinagar.

“Prof Rahi has always been of great support to the organization. He has rarely missed any major events of the organization and would always ensure his presence on Prof Mohi-ud-Din Hajini Day. His magnificent absence in such events would be badly missed by all of us and his fans,” one of his associates said.

All the senior members and literary persons associated with the organization have expressed their condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul.

Late Prof Rehman Rahi was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961 for his poetry collection Nawroz-i-Saba, the Padma Shri in 2000, and India’s highest literary award, the Jnanpith Award (for the year 2004) in 2007.

He is the first Kashmiri writer to be awarded the Jnanpith, India’s highest literary award for his poetic collection Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz (In Black Drizzle).

Rahi was honored with Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2000 by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.