Chandigarh, May 11 (IANS) Acclaimed Punjabi writer and poet Surjit Patar has passed away at the age of 79 due to a heart attack on Saturday at his residence in Ludhiana, his family said.

Patar, who penned 'Lafzan Di Dargah', a popular poetry, was honoured with Padma Shri in the field of Literature and Education in 2012. He started writing poetry in his mid-sixties.

Expressing grief over his demise, two-time Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said: "End of an era, as famous Punjabi writer and poet Padma Shri Surjit Patar Sahib has passed away today. My heartfelt condolences to his family and millions of fans worldwide. Punjab has lost an icon today. RIP!"

Known as the "Baba Bohar" of Punjabi literature, the Sahitya Akademi, in tribute, wrote: "It is immensely sad and shocking to learn that Surjit Patar, a distinguished Punjabi poet, translator, and scholar, has passed away. His poems enriched Punjabi literature and influenced successive generations of poets. May he RIP."

He served as the president of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi. Hailing from Patar Kalan village in Jalandhar, he retired as a professor of Punjabi from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.