Gieve Patel

Life & Legacy

Gieve Patel (18 August 1940 – 3 November 2023) was an Indian poet, playwright, painter, as well as a physician. He belonged to a group of writers who had subscribed themselves to the Green Movement which was involved in an effort to protect the environment. His poems speak of deep concerns for nature and expose man's cruelty to it. His notable poems include, How Do You Withstand (1966), Body (1976), Mirrored Mirroring (1991) and On killing a tree. He also wrote three plays, titled Princes (1971), Savaksa (1982) and Mr. Behram (1987).
Patel retired from his medical practice in 2005. He resided in Mumbai and was fully engaged in the art field. Patel was considered to be one of the important painters who portrayed the social reality parallel to the prominent painters of the Baroda School. Through his paintings, Patel explored contemporary life, with a focus on its complexity and beauty. He died from cancer in Pune, on 3 November 2023, at the age of 83.