Kathmandu, July 12 -- Padma Shri awardee and Nepali writer Sanu Lama has passed away. He died on Saturday morning while undergoing treatment in Siliguri. He was 85 years old. A few days before his death, he had fallen ill after getting wet in the rain and was admitted to a hospital.

Lama was born on June 15, 1939, in Sikkim. His birth name was Gadulsingh Lama, but he was popularly known in literary circles as Sanu Lama. Though he worked as an engineer by profession, he made a mark in Nepali literature as a short story writer, poet, and translator.

He published three collections of short stories: 'Sampad' (1971), 'Jogika' (1981), and 'Mrigatrishna' (1993). His stories were translated into several languages, including English, Hindi, Urdu...