Janakpur-based senior litterateur Suryakanta Jha, the recipient of the 2012 Nepal Bidhyapati Translation Award, died on Saturday.

Ninety-year-old Jha breathed his last at his home in Saket-9, Janakpur. Jha is survived by four sons and nine grandchildren.

Jha is best known for translating the famous work of poet Kalidas, the epic Meghdutam Mahakavya.

Jha had translated the epic from original Sanskrit to Maithali. Jha also authored several books, Nepal Sanskrit Kusum being one of them. The book written in four episodes was included in the Sanskrit curriculum of the Government of Nepal. Nepal Sanskrit Sangraha, another of Jha’s work, was also included in the official Sanskrit curriculum.

Jha had been teaching Sanskrit and Maithali in several schools in and around Janakpur since 1949.