Full ceremonial funeral in Raipur with guard of honour, police salute and floral tributes led by CM Vishnu Deo Sai.
Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awardee, authored iconic works like Naukar Ki Kameez and Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi.
PM Modi and literary figures pay glowing tributes to the 86-year-old writer known for poetic prose and humanism.
Eminent Hindi Writer Vinod Kumar Shukla's Last Rites Performed With Full State Honours In Raipur
Chhattisgarh bids farewell to Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awardee; CM Vishnu Deo Sai leads tributes to literary giant known for his poetic prose and quiet dignity
Summary
The last rites of renowned Hindi litterateur Vinod Kumar Shukla were performed with full state honours in Raipur on December 24, 2025. The cremation took place at the Mahant Ghasidas Smriti Shantidham crematorium amid a large gathering of writers, intellectuals, political leaders, students and admirers who came to pay their final respects to the 86-year-old author.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai led the state delegation, placing a wreath on behalf of the government and describing Shukla as “the conscience of modern Hindi literature.” The state administration accorded full ceremonial honours, including a guard of honour by the Chhattisgarh Police, drummers, and a floral tribute from senior officials. A one-minute silence was observed in the state secretariat and all government offices across Chhattisgarh as a mark of respect.
Vinod Kumar Shukla, born in Rajnandgaon in 1937, was widely regarded as one of the most original voices in contemporary Hindi literature. He authored over 20 books, including acclaimed novels such as Naukar Ki Kameez (adapted into a acclaimed film by Mani Kaul), Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi (which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1999), and poetry collections like Lagbhag Jai Hind and Sab Kuch Hona Bacha Rahega. Known for his minimalist style, gentle humour, deep humanism, and profound philosophical undertones, Shukla received the Padma Shri in 2022 for his contribution to literature.
Tributes poured in from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, called him “a rare literary genius who captured the beauty of ordinary lives with extraordinary sensitivity.” Sahitya Akademi president Madhav Kaushik described Shukla’s passing as “an irreplaceable loss to Hindi sahitya.”
Shukla is survived by his wife, two sons and several grandchildren. He had been ailing for the past few months and passed away peacefully at his residence in Raipur on December 23, 2025.
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