Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Noted Hindi and Maithili author Padma Shri Usha Kiran Khan who passed away on Sunday evening, had a long association with Bhopal. The author, who breathed her last at a private hospital in Patna, was ill and had difficulty in breathing. Khan had a dual connection with Bhopal. Her daughter Anuradha Shankar is Additional Director General of Police in Madhya Pradesh.
Secondly, Khan had a close relationship with the litterateurs of Bhopal. She took part in many literary events in Bhopal. She participated in a literary event, Vishwarang, organised by Rabindranath Tagore University in December last year, which was her last event in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, she had participated in Unmesh organised by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, at Ravindra Bhawan.
Khan was selected for National Vanmali Katha Award given by Vanmali Srijan Peeth, which will be held on February 26. Director general of Vishwarang and RNTU chancellor Santosh Choubey expressed grief over Khan’s demise and said that she was a prominent writer. Director of Tagore Vishwakala Evam Sanskriti Kendra, Vinay Upadhyay, said he presided over her session on the cultural aspect of folk tradition on December 24 last year.
“She presented her views on folk tradition of Bihar very well,” he said. Chief administrative officer of Bharat Bhavan, Prem Shankar Shukla, said she visited Bharat Bhavan as a guest writer more than five times. “She had recited a story last year,” Shukla added.
