Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday flew to New Delhi to attend the funeral of his elder sister and eminent author Gita Mehta, who passed away a day before.
Mehta died in Delhi on Saturday. She was 80.
“I am here due to the sad demise of my elder sister, who was a well-known author and filmmaker,” Patnaik told reporters in the national capital.
Official sources said the chief minister will return to Bhubaneswar on Monday after completion of Mehta’s last rites.
Mehta’s funeral will take place after the arrival of her son Aditya, who stays abroad, they said.
Her body has been kept at Patnaik’s residence on APJ Abdul Kalam Marg.
Mehta penned several books, including 'Karma Cola', 'Snake and Ladders', 'A River Sutra', 'Raj' and 'The Eternal Ganesha'.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and senior leaders of different political parties paid condolences to the departed soul.
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