Chandigarh: Noted poet, novelist and short story writer Kashmiri Lal Zakir passed away Wednesday evening, a state government release said. He was 97.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar condoled the death of Zakir who was also the Chairman of Haryana Urdu Academy. Khattar said, "With the death of Dr K L Zakir, a Padma Shri awardee, Urdu and Hindi literature have lost a doyen. "He had been conferred with the honour of Fakhr-e-Haryana by the state government. His contribution to the world of literature will be remembered for long. My heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace."