Artist, poet, and playwright Gieve Patel passed away on November 3 at 83 in Pune due to cancer. Having initially pursued a career as a doctor, he retired in 2005 and fully dedicated himself to his passion for art. Long before that, in the early 1970s, he had already received public attention when he painted the Political Series.
He was not only considered to be a crucial painter of our times but also a prolific poet who raised deep concerns for nature. In 2022, Gieve Patel was honored with the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate Award for his outstanding contribution to poetry in India.
In 1966, he contributed significantly to the anthology of “Collected Poems” by Nissim Ezekiel, which included an introduction to the same book.
Gieve Patel was one of the many influential poets – Ezekiel, Arun Kolatkar, Saleem, Dom Moraes, Eunice de Souza, and Dilip Chitre – who found it easy to write in a city that embraced the English language without hesitation.
Poet Gulam Mohammed Sheikh considers Patel’s poetry India’s “finest in the English language.”
Upon the poet’s passing, author Amitav Ghosh took to Twitter to share a heartfelt message, paying tribute to the poet.
RIP Gieve Patel, a great poet who was deeply attentive to non-human worlds. His poem "On Killing a Tree" is a classic.
— Amitav Ghosh (@GhoshAmitav) November 4, 2023
https://t.co/jFv7zT8BA5 https://t.co/o7VzTkczbB
His famous poetry collection includes:
| 1. | How Do You Withstand (1966) |
| 2. | Body (1976) |
| 3. | Mirrored Mirroring (1991) |
| 4. | On killing a tree |
In addition to his beautifully crafted poems, he had contributed in the realm of playwriting, penning highly regarded theatrical works which includes:
| 1. | Princes (1971) |
| 2. | Savaksa (1982) |
| 3. | Mr. Behram (1987) |
Gieve Patel’s poem “On A Killing Tree” is also a part of the 9th-Class UP Board syllabus for English. This poem provides students with thought-provoking concerns for nature alongside the artistic depth it embodies.
Even in his absence, his influence on the art world will endure, and he is commemorated as a remarkable artist who left an everlasting mark on the world of creativity.
