RENOWNED Hindi litterateur and Jnanpith Award recipient Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, on Tuesday evening. He was 88. Dr Laxmikant Choudhary, Assistant Public Relations Officer, AIIMS Raipur, told ‘The Hitavada, that Shukla breathed His last was at 4.58 pm. He had been admitted to AIIMS on December 2, following a dete Prioritisation in health, primarily Due to breathing difficulties. Doctors said Shukla was suffering from severe respiratory illness and was a known case of interstitial lung disease (ILD), along with multiple co-morbid bidities including Type-2 dia diabetes mellitus and hypertension session. A towering figure in mod In Hindi literature, Shukla was conferred the 59th Jnanpith Award in 2024, India’s oldest and the highest literary honour, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to literature. Owing to his frail health, The award was presented at his residence in Raipur on November 21, 2025.

 

 

The honour was for mally presented by R N Tiwari, General Manager, Bharatiya Jnanpith. With this recognition, Vinod Kumar Shukla became the first writer from Chhattisgarh and the 12th Hindi author to receive the Jnanpith Award. Born on January 1, 1937, in Rajnandgaon district, Shukla pursued agricultural studies and completed his M.Sc. in Agriculture from Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur. He later joined the Agriculture College, Raipur, as a lecturer. His literary sensibilities were deeply influenced by poet Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh, who was taught. In Rajnandgaon during that period. Shukla’s literary The journey began with poetry. His first collection, “Lagbhag Jai Hind”, was published in 1971, followed by “Vah Aadmi Chala Gaya Naya Garam Coat Pehankar Vichar Ki Tarah” in 1981. His debut novel, “Naukar Ki Kameez”, was published in 1979 later inspired an acclaimed film by filmmaker Mani Kaul.

 

Among his most celebrated works is “Deewar Mein Ek Khirkee Rahati Thi”, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1999, and was later adapted into a stage play by theatre director Mohan Maharishi. The novel was trans translated into English as “A Window Lived in a Wall” by Prof. Satti Khanna of Duke University. Known for his understated prose and a distinctive blend of realism and quiet surrealism ism, Shukla also authored short-story collections such as “Ped Par Kamra” and poetry volumes including “Sab Kuch Hona Bacha Rahega”. His writings have been widely trans translated into several languages. In 2023, he became the first Indian author to receive the PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature further cements In his global literary stature.

 

Vinod Kumar Shukla’s demise marks the end of an era in Hindi literature, leaving behind a body of work celebrated for its depth, simplicity and endurance ing humanism.LAST RITES OF VINOD SHUKLA TO BE HELD WITH FULL STATE HONOURS:The last rites of the renowned Hindi Writer and Jnanpith Awardee Vinod Kumar Shukla will be performed with full state honours at Marwadi Shamshan Ghat in Raipur city at 10.30 am on Wednesday. The The Chhattisgarh government has decided to accord full state honours to Vinod Kumar Shukla in recognition of his exceptional tional contribution to Hindi literature and his enduring legacy as one of the country’s most respected literary figures ures.

 

In this regard, the General Administration Department (GAD), The Government of Chhattisgarh has issued a formal communication to Raipur Collector Dr Gaurav Singh, direct ing him to make all necessary arrangements to ensure that The last rites are conducted with due dignity and official honours. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed deep grief over Shukla’s demise and paid tribute to his contribution. Contribution to literature and the state. In a post on his X han middle, the Chief Minister wrote, “The state has suffered an Irreparable loss with the passing of Vinod Kumar Shukla. He enhanced Chhattisgarh’s prestige across the country and the world. Respecting his incomparable contribution, The Chhattisgarh government has decided to give him a final farewell with full state honours.”