Chandigarh, Jan 31 (PTI) Noted Punjabi novelist Dalip Kaur Tiwana died at a hospital in Mohali on Friday after a brief illness. She was 84.

The Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi awardee was undergoing treatment.

Known for 'Teeli da Nishaan' and 'Sooraj te Samandar', Tiwana was also a former president of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi.

In 2015, she had returned the Padma Shri bestowed on her to express solidarity with writers protesting "suppression of freedom of expression and growing communalism".

The Punjab Cabinet, which met here on Friday, passed a condolence resolution on the demise of the legendary Punjabi litterateur.

The Cabinet recalled her as an embodiment of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat, who made immense contribution for the promotion of the language, art and literature through her prolific writings.

It said her death has created a void in the literary circles which is difficult to be filled.

Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore also condoled Tiwana's demise.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said Punjab had lost a voice. Tiwana always wrote about the downtrodden and rural folk and enriched Punjabi language with versatile and prolific writings, he said.

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