KATHMANDU: Legendary lyricist and poet Ratna Shamsher Thapa has passed away. He breathed his last at 12:30 pm on May 28 at Norvic Hospital. He was 81.

He succumbed to pneumonia, according to a close family member Shiva Acharya. He informed that Thapa was taken to the hospital in the evening of May 27.

Thapa had also gone through a spinal cord operation on February 11 at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital where he stayed there for a month.

He was going through physiotherapy at home and had been able to walk with the help of a walker.

Late Thapa has penned many timeless adhunik songs including Eh Kanchha Thattai Ma, Ghumtima Na-aau Hai and Jaga Lamka Chamka Hai to name a few.

He is survived by his wife and two sons.