Doyen of Hindi poetry Gopal Das Neeraj passed away Thursday night at the AIIMS trauma centre here. He was 93.
A Padma Bhushan awardee, Gopal Das Neeraj had suffered a head injury following a fall at his home in Agra and was undergoing treatment at a hospital there, Dr. Rajesh Malhotra, chief of the AIIMS trauma centre, said.
“He was shifted to the trauma centre here last night in a critical condition. He had kidney failure, infection all over his body and head injury. He passed away today at around 7.30 pm,” he said.
Gopal Das Neeraj's family was by his side during his last hours.
Many popular Bollywood songs penned by Gopal Das Neeraj went on to become huge hits.
'Karvaan Guzar Gaya, Gubar Dekhte Rahe' from Nai Umar ki Nai Fasal was one of his most popular tracks.
Before he gained name and fame as a lyricist, Neeraj had even worked in a Meerut college where, it is said, he was accused of not taking classes. Angry at the allegations, he quit the institution and joined another one in Aligarh where he taught Hindi.
Gopal Das Neeraj liked the city, and Maurice road, Janakpuri, became his address. However, his increasing popularity as a poet attracted Bollywood's attention.
He got offers to pen songs for films which gave him wider recognition. Gopal Das Neeraj shifted to Mumbai and penned one popular number after another.
However, some years later, Gopal Das Neeraj again decided to shift back to Aligarh.
His son, Shashank Prabhakar, said the poet was admitted to AIIMS yesterday. Gopal Das Neeraj's body will be brought to Agra and then to Aligarh for cremation, he said.
Gopal Das Neeraj, who was awarded Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2007, was born in Purvali village of Uttar Pradesh's Etawa district.
His works include 'Dard Diya Hai', 'Asawari' 'Likh Likh Bhejat Pati' and many more.