Modi, Shah, Didi condole death of Shankha Ghosh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mourned the death of noted Bengali poet Shankha Ghosh, who died due to corona on Tuesday.

After testing positive for COVID-19 on April 14, Ghosh (89) was at home isolation and his health condition deteriorated on Tuesday night.

The eminent Bengali poet had several comorbidities and was hospitalised a few months ago. After testing positive, he did not want to go to the hospital, following which his family decided to keep him in home isolation after consulting with the doctors.

Following the news of the demise of the Bengali poet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter said, “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 Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to Twitter and condoled the death of the poet.

“Anguished to learn about the sad demise of a renowned Bengali poet and Sahitya Akademi Awardee, Shri Shankha Ghosh Ji. He will always be remembered for his outstanding poems, deeply rooted in the social context. My deepest condolences to his family and followers. Om Shanti!,” read

Shah’s tweet.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after talking to his family members said that Sankha Ghosh will be given guard of honour but without gun salute.

“Gun salute won’t be given to Shankha Ghosh as he didn’t like it, but the rest of the Guard of Honour will be conducted,” stated Mamata.

According to another noted Bengali writer Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, he lost his ‘guardian’ with the demise of Ghosh.

Considered to be an authority on Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Ghosh received Padma Bhushan in 2011. His famous work includes Adim Lata amongst others.

Notably, Ghosh was extremely vocal against many political upheavals in the state including the Nandigram violence.

He is survived by his wife Pratima, and daughters Semanti and Srabanti.