Writer Greta Rana passed away on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. She was 80.

The seasoned poet, novelist and translator, known for her books including ‘Hostage’ and ‘Ghost in the Bamboo’, was suffering from a brain tumour for a long. Rana breathed her last while undergoing treatment at the Lalitpur-based Nepal Mediciti Hospital.

According to writer Saguna Shah, Greta’s last rites were performed at Pashupati Aryaghat yesterday.

Born in 1943 in Yorkshire, England, Rana is known as a leading writer who triggered discussions in Nepali literature through the English language.

She authored the novel ‘Hidden Women: The Ruling Women of the Rana Dynasty’ based on the theme of women within the Rana family. Her poetry collections and novels include ‘Beneath the Jacaranda’, ‘Hunger is Home’, ‘Nothing Greener’, ‘Distant Hills’, ‘Guests in this Country’, ‘Hostage’ and 'Ghost in the Bamboo’. She also translated the popular Nepali historical novel Seto Bagh by Diamond Shumsher Rana into English.

Married to economist Madhukar Shumsher Rana, Greta was affiliated with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.