Veteran hotel entrepreneur and former president of Hotel Association Nepal Gautam Das Shrestha died on Monday. He was 83.

According to the association, Shrestha passed away at Medicity Hospital in Lalitpur after a long battle with cancer.

Born in Tumbahal, Kathmandu to father Durga Das Shrestha and mother Haridevi Shrestha, Shrestha operated the Sherpa Hotel on Durbar Marg and the Safari Narayani Hotel in Chitwan.

Shrestha served as president of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) from 1993 to 1998.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

The hotel association said Shrestha’s death had caused irreparable damage to Nepal's tourism industry.

“Gautam Das Shrestha, the sixth HAN President, left us this morning at 2:30 AM for his heavenly abode,” tweeted hotelier Yogendra Sakya.

“In spite of age and so many health issues, he was still so full of life and always wanting to entertain friends in his house. All your friends and family will always cherish those beautiful get-togethers in your Jamshikhel house, Gautam Dai!!.”