OBIT: Shakti Bhatt

We're terribly saddened to announce that Shakti Bhatt, a former reporter for India Abroad/Rediff who returned to India and was on the vanguard of the publishing industry there, died Saturday. According to a friend in New Delhi, she was out to dinner when she suddenly became violently ill. The specifics are vague at this point but we'll post an update once we're clearer.

Shakti was a friend, as is her husband, the poet Jeet Thayil. We all worked together at India Abroad, and I distinctly remember an end-of-year party she organized - she bought goofy eyeglasses for all of us, and party hats, and organized food. She was insistent that we celebrate, and somewhere perhaps there are photos of us all, looking ridiculous in our black plastic hats.

Eventually Jeet and Shakti returned to India, due to visa-related issues. They'd initially been planning to return to the U.S. but they moved to India at the right time. Shakti eventually joined Random House India, doing four books for them, then left last year to start Bracket Books, an imprint for IBD.

We exchanged emails over the last few months. Shakti was excited about her new role at Bracket and was looking for writers who could satisfy India's 'booming' industry. A month ago, she said she wanted to publish 'pulp fiction, thrillers, memoirs....'

Our condolences go out to Jeet and Shakti's family. Her mother, Sheela Bhatt, is also a prominent journalist, serving as Managing Editor of Rediff.   

More from Kitabkhana:

"She and her husband, the poet Jeet Thayil, moved back to Delhi from New York two years ago, and made a new life here by throwing open the doors of their home to all of us. Shakti was well-loved, and will be missed more than I can put into words right now. Our thoughts are with Jeet."

Jabberwock, where I got the image of her, has a Q&A with Shakti from the Sunday Business Standard.

Nisha Susan writes 'Goodbye Shakti Bhatt': "Shakti was fearless and ready to take up everything and more that the world offered her. In the first few months of my arriving here Shakti made Delhi seem like an eccentric village that could be dealt with, if one was ready to be amused and unafraid. Goodbye, Shakti, we will all miss you very, very, very much."

Comments

[sameer]

hi
this news comes as a shock to me and i havent been in touch with her for years now and lose her so soon was not at all expected.
i hope she finds peace whereever she is and hope god gives her family and loved ones peace and strength to deal with this unfair occurence.
i knew her when she was in school a good friend and human being .
we shared a few real good moments as real good friends and thus she remains in our hearts the same way today and forever

[Ossian]

Condolences to Shakti's relatives and friends. Such a tragic loss, so young and full of life. I only ever exchanged a few emails about a story in an anthology I was editing, but still it's upsetting. If there are any more details, please let us know. Once again, condolences to all who knew Shakti.

[Shanawaz]

This is the saddest news I have ever heard. I met her while studyin atEckerd College and she was one of the most helpful and friendly people I had ever met. A big loss. Condolences to all family and friends.