Egyptian renowned novelist Gamal al-Ghitany, best-known for his esteemed Zeeni Barakat, died Sunday at the age of 70, Youm7 reported.
In mid- August, Ghitany slipped into a deep coma before he was admitted to the hospital where he remained in a critical condition. He reportedly suffered from heart attack which caused brain damage due to lack of oxygen.
Ghitani, who won this year’s Nile Award, is known for his collection of short stories, most of which were translated into English and French.
Cairo governorate has announced in September that it will name a street in Cairo’s district of el-Gamaliyya after Ghitani who was born there.
Ghitani was also known for his passion for Islamic Cairo and the architecture of its mosques, especially those located in Al-Mu’izz li Din Allah Street.
He was born in Upper Egypt governorate of Sohag in 1945. His funeral will be held Sunday at Cairo’s Sayyieda Nafisa Mosque at around 3 p.m. according to Al-Ahram.
