Renowned Hindi writer, poet, and novelist Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, at the age of 88. He died at 4:58 pm at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, due to multiple organ infection and organ failure, hospital officials confirmed. Shukla had been admitted to the hospital on December 2. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Born in Rajnandgaon district in 1937, Shukla began his literary journey with the poetry collection Lagbhag Jaihind in 1971. Over the decades, he authored several acclaimed novels and story collections, including Naukar Ki Kameez, Khilega To Dekhenge, Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi, and Ek Chuppi Jagah. Naukar Ki Kameez was adapted into a film by director Mani Kaul, while Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1999.
In 2023, Shukla was awarded the PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature, and earlier this year, he received the 59th Jnanpith Award, becoming the first person from Chhattisgarh to be honored with India’s highest literary accolade. The Bharatiya Jnanpith praised his work for its “simplicity, sensitivity, and unique writing style,” noting that his stories and poems capture the nuances of ordinary life in accessible language.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over Shukla’s passing, saying his invaluable contributions to Hindi literature will always be remembered. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai called his death an “irreparable loss” and announced that the state would accord Shukla a final farewell with full state honours.
Shukla leaves behind a lasting legacy as one of Hindi literature’s most celebrated voices, remembered for his poignant storytelling and profound simplicity.
