Gita Mehta Passes Away: Daughter of the Esteemed Biju Patnaik, Gita Mehta, Had Been Battling Illness for a Period of Time.
Gita Mehta Passes Away: Renowned writer and documentary filmmaker Gita Mehta, who held the distinction of being the elder sister of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, passed away in Delhi on Saturday at the age of 80.
Naveen Patnaik is set to depart for the national capital as Gita Mehta, the daughter of the iconic Biju Patnaik, had been facing health challenges for a while.
Gita Mehta is widely acknowledged for her significant contributions to the world of television, having produced and directed 14 television documentaries that aired on prestigious networks in the UK, Europe, and the United States.
Born in 1943 as Gita Patnaik, her educational journey encompassed both India and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She initially pursued a career as a war correspondent for the US television network NBC before transitioning into writing and directing. Some of her most acclaimed works include the non-fiction masterpiece ‘Karma Cola’ and ‘A River Sutra,’ a collection of captivating short stories.
In 1965, she entered into matrimony with the late publisher Ajai Singh ‘Sonny’ Mehta.
In 2019, Gita Mehta received the prestigious Padma Shri award in the ‘Foreigners’ category for her outstanding contributions to the fields of art and literature. However, she chose to decline the honor, citing the timing of the announcement, which coincided with the national elections.