Telugu poet, Sahitya Akademi awardee Devi Priya passes away

The writer was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2017 for his book 'Gaali Rangu' and has authored several books.

Hyderabad: Noted Telugu poet and Kendriya Sahitya Akademi Award recipient Sheik Khaja Hussain, popularly known as Devi Priya, passed away after a brief illness in Hyderabad on Saturday. He was 69 and is survived by two sons. His last rites were performed at Trimulgherry burial ground here.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao mourned the poet’s death and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family. In a statement, he said Devi Priya had created awareness in society about social issues through his writings, poetry and columns. Among several works of Devi Priya, ‘Gali Rangu’ stands apart as a representative work of his calibre as a writer, Rao said. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy also paid condolences to the family.

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The veteran poet was suffering from acute diabetes and had undergone amputation of his left leg on November 9 due to the setting in of gangrene. However, his condition deteriorated and was on a ventilator for the last two days before he breathed his last at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS).

Born in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh on August 15, 1951, Devi Priya worked as a journalist with popular Telugu and English dailies. He also penned award-winning lyrics for several Telugu films and was associated with Telugu literary movements since the early 1970s. He published several poetic compilations and received Kendriya Sahitya Akademi award for his book ‘Gaali Rangu’ in 2017.