Eminent Gujarati writer and humourist Vinod Bhatt died at his residence in Ahmedabad on Wednesday following a prolonged illness, his family members said on Wednesday. He was 80.

Bhatt had been bed-ridden for a long time due to kidney failure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the veteran writer’s death. Modi called Bhatt a “master of words”.

“Shri Vinod Bhatt was a master of words. Humour and satire came naturally to him. His works will continue to bring smiles on many faces. His demise is saddening. My thoughts are with all his admirers in this sad hour,” he tweeted.

Shri Vinod Bhatt was a master of words. Humour and satire came naturally to him. His works will continue to bring smiles on many faces. His demise is saddening. My thoughts are with all his admirers in this sad hour.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2018

BJP President Amit Shah also took to Twitter and paid his respect to the late writer.

“Pained to know about the passing away of Shri Vinod Bhatt ji, the foremost humour writer of Gujarati literature. Vinodkaka’s writings will remain the lodestar of the universe of humour literature forever. My deepest condolences with his family & followers. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti,” Amit Shah wrote on Twitter.

Pained to know about the passing away of Shri Vinod Bhatt ji, the foremost humour writer of Gujarati literature. Vinodkaka’s writings will remain the lodestar of the universe of humour literature forever. My deepest condolences with his family & followers. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 23, 2018

According to reports, his body will be donated for medical research as per his last wish.

The writer was best known for his humour columns in Gujarati newspapers, which had been popular among the masses for years.

Bhatt was born in 1938 at Nandol village in Dehgam taluka of Gandhinagar district. He worked as a tax consultant while continuing his passion for writing.

He had also served as the president of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad from 1996 to 1997. His newspaper column ‘Mag Nu Naam Mari’ was very popular among the masses.

Apart from being a columnist, Bhatt had authored more than 45 books in different genres, including satire, comedy and biography.

Gujarat Chief Minister also Vijay Rupani expressed grief over Bhatt’s demise and said he would be remembered for his satire-laced writings.

The CM added that his death had left a vacuum in the Gujarati literary world.

(With agency inputs)