Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 4: Prof Omkar Nath Koul an eminent Linguist,writer,translator passed away in Delhi yesterday after a prolonged illness. He was 78. His cremation took place in Delhi today which was attended by a large crowd of scholars, writers well wishers etc. Prof Koul was born in Bugam village five kilometres from Kulgam in Kashmir Valley on h January 7, 1941. After his early education in Anantnag and Srinagar in Kashmir he did his Doctorate in Comparative Literature in K M Institute Agra and went for further studies to USA. He did his Masters in Linguistics at Illinois University in USA.
After returning to India he joined as Principal of Northern Regional Language Centre under Ministry of HRD Govt. of India in Patiala. He worked as Professor of Languages in LBS Academy of Administration Mussorie and retired as Director of Central Institute of Indian Languages Mysore. His Areas of interest were Linguistics, language teaching, language education, communication and comparative literature.
Prof Koul has published more than 50 books and a large number of papers published in various national and international journals. Besides, being a celebrated Linguist, he also wrote short stories in Kashmiri and edited Vaakh a Kashmiri quarterly journal for more than a decade. Prof Koul received many honours and awards and appreciations from various agencies.
Prof Koul visited large number of countries in connection of various academic and literary activities. His contribution to Indian Linguistics and to Kashmiri language, literature is tremendous and shall be remembered and appreciated for ever.
People from all walks of life have expressed their profound grief and shock over the demise of Prof Koul. A condolence meeting was organised by Department of Kashmiri today in Kashmir University in which profound shock and grief was expressed over the demise of Prof Koul. The speakers paid rich tributes to him and recalled his services in growth and development of Kashmiri language.
The meeting was presided over by Prof Majrooh Rashid. Among others present in the meeting were Prof A N Malik, Ex Dean School of Arts, Language and Literature, faculty members Prof Mehfooza Jan, Dr Shafqat Altaf, Dr Kaiser Ahmed Malik, Inayat, Dr Adil Mohi-u-Din, research scholars and students of the Department.
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