Veteran Bengali poet and journalist Krishna Dhar, whose pen mirrored the mass democratic movements through the decades, died at a city nursing home on Wednesday following old age complications, family sources said.
Dhar, 94, a widower, left behind his two daughters.
Dhar came in close contact with legendary Bengali writer Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and freedom fighters Indubhushan Das and Dinesh Banik as also Marxist stalwart Muzaffar Ahmad in his formative years, which shaped his political thoughts and literary content.
He began his professional life as a college lecturer, before spending years as a journalist with the Bengali daily Jugantar and as editor of another Bengali newspaper Dainik Basumati.
He also taught journalism at Calcutta University, and was popular among the students.
His popular book of poems include E Janmer Nayak Amar Hate Rokto, Hatbo Thambo Na, Kaaler Rakhal Tumi Vietnam. Dhar was also known for his simple and fluid prose, and came up with books like Kolkata Tin Shotok, Adhunik Kabitar Utsa, Muktijuddhe Bangladesh and Bharater Swadhinata Sangrame Bangla.
But the genre that attracted him the most is verse drama, in which his major contributions are Abhimanyu, Ekushe Pratidin, Batighar and Golaper Juddho.
His autography Aat Dasak Saat Kahon was serialised in the Bengali magazine Nandan.
As per his wish, Dhar’s eyes were collected after his death for giving sight to two blind persons. His body was also handed over to a city hospital for facilitating medical research.
