Eminent linguist Chudamani Gautam, celebrated as the ‘Grammar Guru,’ passed away on Monday. He was 81.

Gautam breathed his last while receiving medical treatment in Kathmandu, according to his family.

Born in Khamlalung, now part of Aathrai Rural Municipality in Tehrathum, Gautam was a towering figure in linguistics. He played a pivotal role in standardising the Nepali language, modernising its adjectives and vocabulary, and contributing significantly to developing dictionaries.

Gautam’s pioneering work, Gautam’s English Grammar, became a cornerstone for students from school to university levels. Over his prolific career, he authored more than 100 books on grammar, spelling, and lexicography.