Friday, July 20, 2018

Yesterday, Hindi poet and songwriter Gopal Das Neeraj died at the AIIMS trauma centre in Delhi, India. The poet was 93-years-old.

According to reports, Gopal Das had a head injury at his home in Agra and was taken to Aligarh for treatment. The chief of AIIMS trauma centre of New Delhi, Dr Rajesh Malhotra, said, “He was shifted to the trauma centre here [the night before he died] in a critical condition. He had suffered from kidney failure, had infection all over his body and head injury”.

Born in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh on January 4, 1925, Gopal Das was a resident of Agra and taught Hindi literature at the Dharma Samaj College in Aligarh. Gopal Das had received some of the highest Indian civilian honourary awards, receiving Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2007.

Gopal Das also wrote songs for Bollywood movies and won the Filmfare Best Lyrics award on three occasions for his songs Kaal Ka Pahiya ^{((hi))Hindi language: ???? ?? ?????}, Bas Yehi Apradh Main Har Baar ^{((hi))Hindi language: ??? ??? ????? ??? ?? ???} and Ae Bhai Jara Dekh Ke Chalo ^{((hi))Hindi language: ?? ???! ???? ??? ?? ???}. He also wrote the songs Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe ^{((hi))Hindi language: ????? ?? ?? ????}, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya ^{((hi))Hindi language: ???? ?? ??? ??? ????} and Dil Aaj Shayar Hai ^{((hi))Hindi language: ???? ?? ???? ??}.

Gopal Das’s body was reportedly to be taken to Aligarh today.