Prominent writer on Indian culture, Ruang Urai Kusalasaya, has died at the age of 97.
She passed away at 6am yesterday at her home, Cultural Promotion Department chief Pimravee Watthanavarangkul announced, adding the writer had expressed in her will to donate her body to the students of Siriraj Hospital.
Ruang Urai: Well-known writer
People know Ruang Urai, who was given National Artist title in 2016, as a co-writer with her husband and author Karuna Kusalasai, who wrote under the pen name "Karuna-Ruang Urai." The duo have published 40 books.
Karuna, who was named a National Artist in 2003, was an expert on Indian culture. He was good at Hindi and Sanskrit languages.
He passed away on Aug 13, 2009.
A graduate from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts, Ruang Urai spent most of her life teaching, writing and translating books.
She was a former teacher at Chandrakasem Rajabhat University. Silpakorn University awarded her a professor's rank for her contributions to education.
Besides the joint collaboration with her husband, Ruang Urai also wrote books of her own. Among them are Bot Phleng Haeng Kwam Lang, Song of the Past, A Collection of Indian Tales and Life and Work of Rabindranath Tagore.
Tagore, a 1913 Noble Laureate in literature, is a world-renowned writer, song composer and essayist from India. One of his works, Gitanjali, a collection of his poems, was also translated by Ruang Urai's husband. Ruang Urai and Karuna had a daughter and a son.
According to the Cultural Promotion Department, the funeral ceremony will be held between today and Feb 5 at Wat Sommanat Wihan in Bangkok's Pomprap Sattruphai district.
