Gita Mehta, the older sister of author and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, passed away from natural causes, at her residence, in New Delhi on September 16, 2023.
She was aged 80.
Who Was Gita Mehta?
Gita Mehta was an Indian and American writer cum documentary filmmaker known for covering the Bangladesh liberation war of 1971.
Mehta had her education in India, at Girton College, and later obtained a degree from Cambridge University.
Mehta worked as a war correspondent for the NBC in the early 1970s. Her documentary of the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war, titled Dateline Bangladesh, became a success in India and across the world.
Afterwards, she went on to produce and direct other documentaries for many British and American networks.
As an author, Mehta had published five books which are available in over 21 languages, and have become best-sellers in Europe, the US, and India.
Most of Mehta’s works were focused on India’s history & culture, war and conflict, but targeted at the Western audience.
Her first book, Karma Cola was published in 1979. She later published In Raj (1989), A River Sutra (1993), Snakes and Ladders (1997).
In 2019, Mehta received “the Padma Shri”, which is India’s fourth highest civilian award.