Renowned writer and linguist Dr Ramesh Pathak has breathed his last late Tuesday at his residence in Guwahati's Hatigaon after battling prolonged illness. He was 79.

Born in 1959, Dr Pathak was a professor of Cotton University in Guwahati. He completed his primary education at Khalihaguri Primary School in 1952 and matriculated from Tihu High School in 1959. Later, he graduated from Cotton College in 1963 and did his M.A from Gauhati University in 1966.

It may be mentioned that just yesterday (January 25), the Assam Prakashan Parishad visited his residence and presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He died today at around 6.52 PM today. His death was a great loss in the field of Assamese literature and language.