Hindi novelist and Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passed away. He was best known for his novel ”Pehla Girmitiya” that was based on Mahatma Gandhi”s stay in South Africa. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India and was the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award. He was also conferred the Vyas Samman in 2000, and an honorary PhD by Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University in 2002.