Veteran poet Imroz passes away at 97
Mumbai, Dec 22: Noted poet and artist Inderjeet alias Imroz, known for his enduring relationship with poet Amrita Pritam, passed away in Mumbai on Friday at the age of 97 due to age-related issues, family sources said.
Alka Kwatra, Pritam's daughter-in-law, told PTI that his last rites were performed at the Dahanukarwadi crematorium at Kandivli in north Mumbai in the presence of family and close friends.
The funeral pyre was lit by Pritam's granddaughter.
Amiya Kunwar, a close acquaintance of Imroz, said he was suffering from health issues for some days and had been hospitalised.
Born on January 26, 1926 in Lyallpur, Punjab, Imroz met Amrita Pritam in the 1950s when she was already a well-established figure in Punjabi literature. They lived together for over 40 years until Pritam died in 2005.
Imroz began writing poems after Pritam started keeping unwell, and even after her death, he wrote several poems dedicated to her.
One of Pritam's most celebrated works, 'Main tainu phir milangi,' is said to have been dedicated to Imroz.
Noted artist Prakash Joshi said the passing away of Imroz is an end of an "era and a poetic dream".
"The relationship between Imroz and Pritam was a beautiful chapter in the field of Indian art and literature," Joshi said.
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Kerala leader M A Baby elected CPIM general secretary
Madurai(PTI): Former Kerala minister M A Baby was elected as the CPI(M) general secretary at the 24th party congress here on Sunday, sources said.
A section of the party leaders had backed All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Ashok Dhawale for the post.
Born to P M Alexander and Lilly Alexander in Kerala's Prakkulam in 1954, Baby's first exposure to politics came when he joined the Kerala Students Federation, the predecessor of the Students Federation of India, during his school days.
He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998.
Baby has been a member of the Politburo, the highest decision-making body of the CPI(M), since 2012.
The post of the party general secretary fell vacant following the death of Sitaram Yechury last year, after which Prakash Karat took over as the interim coordinator.
The 24th party congress of the CPI(M) began on April 2 and will end on Sunday.
