Kolkata: Acclaimed Bengali writer Ramapada Chowdhury, whose story Abhimanyu was made into a Hindi movie Ek doctor ki maut, died at a city hospital on Sunday, his family said. He was 95 and has left behind his wife and two daughters.
He was admitted to the hospital on July 21 with old age ailments including lung problem. He died of cardiac arrest at 6:30 pm, a spokesman of the hospital said.
Abhimanyu was based on the life and work of Dr. Subhas Mukhopadhyay who created India's first and the world's second test-tube baby in 1978. Director Tapan Sinha turned the story into a award winning Hindi film Ek doctor ki maut in 1990. Mrinal Sen's Hindi film Ek din achanak (1989) was also based on Chowdhury's story Beej.
Chowdhury had penned famous literary works such as Pratham Prahar (1954), Banpalashir padabali (1960), Ekhoni (1969), Kharij, Bari badle jay (1988), Abhimanyu (1982). He was conferred the Sahitya Academy award for Bari badle jay in 1988.
Born on December 28, 1922 at Kharagpur, Chowdhury's most active years were between 1950s and '80s. His last book, Harano Khata was published in 2015.
Many of his works had also been made into critically acclaimed Bengali films. He was also the recipient of
Rabindra Puraskar, Ananda Puraskar and Rabindranath Tagore Memorial International Prize.