KATHMANDU: Noted progressive literary writer Ananda Dev Bhatta passed away this morning. He was 86.

Bhatta has been suffering from ‘Alzheimer disease’. He has been at his own residence, Kalikasthan, following his treatment last month.

Bhatta was active in Nepali literary writing, teaching, and progressive thinking and has over two-and-a-half-dozen literary books including poetry, memoir, criticism, and prose to his credit.

Among others, his popular literary writings are ‘Sailimaiya’, ‘Ama Bolauchhin’ and ’97 Saal’.

Born in Jumla in 1993, he served as the chair of the Progressive Writers Association and Progressive University Teachers’ Association.

His last rites will be performed at Pashupati Aryaghat, informed chairperson of Progressive Literary Writers’ Association, Prof Dr Jeewendra Dev Giri. Bhatta is survived by a spouse and two sons.