Dehradun, April 17: Noted Scottish-born travel writer Bill Aitken, known for his writings on Indian mountains, rivers, and railways, died here at a hospital on Wednesday night. He was 90. He was brought to Dehradun for treatment after having a fall at his home in Mussoorie a few days back but he made little improvement.

Born in Scotland in 1934, Aitken travelled across India following his arrival in the late 1950s, especially in and around Himalayan ashrams of Kausani and Mirtola. He lived between Delhi and Mussoorie since the 1970s. However, his travels took him to lesser-known parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Haryana and through the diverse landscapes of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Mizuki Itagaki Dies: 24-Year-Old Missing Japanese Actor Found Dead, Suicide Suspected Due to Mental Health Issues.

In over two dozen travel books, Aitken explored India's religious and natural landscapes, wrote intimately about its people and their beliefs. He also had a keen interest in Indian railways and was the president of the Friends of the National Rail Museum in New Delhi. Some of his noted works are "Seven Sacred Rivers", "Divining the Deccan - A Motorbike to the Heart of India", "Footloose in the Himalaya", "The Nanda Devi Affair", "Exploring Indian Railways", "Mountain Delight", "Travels By a Lesser Line", "Zanskar" and "1000 Himalayan Quiz".

One of his most celebrated works, "Seven Sacred Rivers", documents Aitken's unorthodox pilgrimage spanning 30 years along seven of India's sacred rivers. In "The Nanda Devi Affair", a sequel to "Seven Sacred Rivers", Aitken talks of his great obsession with Nanda Devi, patron goddess of Kumaon and Garhwal.

In his own words in the book, it is "neither a book about Himalayan climbing nor a treatise on hill theology but a diary of mountain relish". Manoj Kumar Dies: Veteran Actor-Director Dies at 87 in Mumbai After Battle With Liver Ailment, PM Narendra Modi Condoles His Demise.

Veteran author Ramachandra Guha paid tribute to the travel writer on X. "Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of the wonderful Scottish-born Indian writer Bill Aitken. He knew his adopted country, its cultures and its landscapes intimately. His books 'Seven Sacred Rivers' and 'Footloose in the Himalaya' are classics," he wrote on the social media platform. Another X user, @titaboriaS, commended Aitken's writings about his rambles in the mountains.

"So sad to hear about Bill Aitken's passing. He was the first to motorbike in the Himalayas before it became a thing. More commendable were his writings about his rambles in the mountains. High quality, empathetic and evocative writing; I walked & rode the high Himalayas with him," they said. Artist Tikulli Dogra wrote on X: "Farewell dear Bill. Travel writer, trekker, lover of the mountains. Funny, kind, generous and a seeker he came to India at age 25 and stayed back. You will be dearly missed. Rest in Peace."

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)