Kathmandu, Aug. 15 -- Madan Mani Dixit, renowned journalist and litterateur who was best known for his Madan Puraskar-winning novel Madhavi, died on Thursday. He was 96.

Dixit is remembered by his friends and contemporaries as someone with a warm demeanour and the ability to crack a joke with a straight face. He was fondly known as 'maadsaap' by his contemporaries and friends. The name stuck when he was headmaster of the Tri-Juddha High School in Birgunj where he often dressed in a starched dhoti and kurta.

An alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, where he obtained his doctorate in philosophy, Dixit was always interested in Vedic literature and philosophy. He was also well-versed in the Sanskrit language. Apart from ancient Vedic literat...