Noted Bengali poet Sankha Ghosh, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on April 14, died at his residence Kolkata on Wednesday. Sankha Ghosh, a recipient of the coveted Jnanpith and Sahitya Akademi awards, had been suffering from age-related ailments for a while. He was also admitted to the hospital in January this year. Sankha Ghosh tested positive for coronavirus on April 14. He was in home isolation. On Tuesday, April 20, his health deteriorated. On Wednesday morning, he was taken off the ventilator. Ghosh breathed his last around 11 am today.
Sankha Ghosh belonged to the era of Bengali poets after Jibanananda Das. Ghosh had also spent several years teaching in Delhi University, University of Iowa and Visva Bharati. Jagat Prakash Nadda, National President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), paid his tribute to the renowned poet on Twitter. His tweet translated in English reads as, "I am deeply saddened by the death of renowned Bengali poet Sankha Ghosh, who was honoured with Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Rabindra Award, Saraswati Award and Jnanpith Award. May his soul rest in peace." Sankha Ghosh received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977 for Babar-er Prarthana. He was honoured with a second Sahitya Akademi Award in 1999. In 2011, Sankha Ghosh was conferred with the Padma Bhushan.