Hindi Literary Giant Vinod Kumar Shukla Passes Away at 89; Jnanpith Laureate

• Renowned Hindi litterateur Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away at 89 in Raipur after battling health issues.
• He was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award (1999) and the 59th Jnanpith Award (2024), India's highest literary honor.
• Shukla was celebrated for his unique style, simplicity, and human-centric vision, portraying ordinary life in works like 'Naukar Ki Kameez' and 'Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi'.
• He was the first litterateur from Chhattisgarh to be honored with the prestigious Jnanpith Award.
• His demise has deeply saddened the Hindi literary world, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing condolences.

Why It Matters: Hindi literature mourns the loss of Vinod Kumar Shukla, a Jnanpith laureate who redefined storytelling.