Internationally acclaimed art historian Dina Bangdel, who was known for her expertise both in traditional and contemporary arts, passed away on Tuesday in the United States, her friends confirmed. She was 54.

Bangdel, associate professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University  (VSU) in Qatar, had undergone surgery for sinusitis in the United States in March but infections led to meningitis that took her life.

Apart from holding specialisation on South Asian, Indian and Himalayan arts, gender studies and films were the other fields of her work. She chaired the History and Arts Department at the Doha branch of the VCU.

Daughter of the renowned scholar and decorated artist Lain Singh Bangdel, Dina published over half a dozen literacy works focusing mostly on Asian and Buddhist arts but putting Nepali art at the heart of her effort. She is survived by her mother, husband and two sons.

“Her demise is an irreparable loss for the nation,” Asmina Ranjit, an artist and friend to Bangdel who is also the director of LASANAA, an artivism organisation, told the Post. “She had a great role in taking Nepali art to the international level.”

She dedicated her career in exploring art and its role as a spiritual tool. Having lived abroad for long stretches of time, she planned to return home in Nepal for good to create a hub for artists, cultural personalities and youths.