Dr Temsüla Ao, noted litterateur and Padma Shri recipient, passed away at Eden Medical Centre in Dimapur on Sunday night.

She was 80.

Widely respected as a poet and novelist, she is considered to be one of the major literary voices in English to have emerged from Northeast India. Her works have been translated into German, French, Assamese, Bengali, Kannada and Hindi

Dr Ao served as the chairperson of the Nagaland Women Commission and was a recipient of several notable awards.

In 2007, she was awarded the Padma Shri in 2007.  She then received the Nagaland Governor’s Award for Distinction in Literature and the Governor’s Gold Medal by the Government of Meghalaya, both in 2009. She also received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2013 for her short story collection, Laburnum for My Head.

She served as professor of English and also as the Dean of School of Humanities and Education at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, retiring in 2010.

Dr Ao served as the Director of North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur on deputation from NEHU from 1992-97, and was a Fullbright Fellow to the University of Minnesota 1985-86.

She was also well-known for her ethnographic work. She spent twelve years studying the oral tradition of the Ao tribe, collecting myths, folktales, rituals, law, custom and the belief system. The completed work – The Ao-Naga Oral Tradition – was published in 1999.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed sadness at the death of Dr Temsula Ao, saying she played a pivotal role in popularising the Naga culture through her literary works.

He tweeted, “Saddened by the passing away of Dr. Temsüla Ao, who played a pivotal role in popularising the wonderful Naga culture through her literary works. Her efforts in the fields of education and culture were noteworthy. Condolences to her family and friends. May her soul rest in peace.”

Additional inputs by PTI.