Marathi Poet Manik Godghate Dead

Eminent Marathi poet Manik Godghate alias "Grace" died today in a city hospital after a prolonged battle with cancer.

He was 75.

Known for his trend setting poetry which depicted pathos in human life with a mystical element, Godghat who wrote with pen name 'Grace', won many awards for his literature that also included collections of free flowing individualistic articles.

He won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award last year for his book Varyane halte raan.

Acclaimed for his experimentation with poetic form, Grace was considered a path breaking Marathi poet of his times. His collections of poems included Sandhyakalchya Kavita, Rajputra and Darling, Sanjbhayachay saajani and Chandramadhaviche Pradesh.

The other works of Grace in prose form included Churchbell and Mitva. The poet, who hailed from Nagpur worked as a college lecturer in that city.

The last rites of Grace will be performed in Nagpur with full state honours at Mokshdham crematorium on Tuesday at 10 am.

Deputy speaker of state assembly Vasant Purke, EGS minister Nitin Raut, minister for food and civil supplies Anil Deshmukh and district guardian minister Shivajirao Moghe will attend the funeral on behalf of the state government, a press release issued here said.

The body was flown to the city on Monday evening and it has been kept at his residence at Shrikrishna Apartments, Dhantoli for the public to pay last respects.