Writer Vũ Tú Nam has passed away, aged 91. — Photo dantri.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — Writer Vũ Tú Nam, former general secretary of the Việt Nam Writers’ Association, passed away on September 9 at the age of 91.

The writer, whose real name was Vũ Tiến Nam, was born in 1929 in Vụ Bản District in the northern province of Nam Định. Two of his brothers were also renowned writers.

As a child, Nam attended the French – Vietnamese Primary School in the northern province of Hòa Bình then continued higher education in Hà Nội. He joined the army in 1947. Due to his writing ability, he was assigned to work at Chiến Sỹ (Soldier) newspaper and then Quân Đội Nhân Dân (People's Army) newspaper in 1950. He also was one of the first editors of Văn Nghệ Quân Đội (Military Arts) journal.

In 1958, he began to work for Văn Học (Literature) newspaper of the Việt Nam Writers’ Association and was one of the founders of the association. He also took over other significant positions including editor of the Văn Học (Literature) newspaper, deputy editor-in-chief of Văn Nghệ (Arts) newspaper and director of the Tác Phẩm Mới (New Works) Publishing House.

He worked as a member of the executive committee of the Việt Nam's Writers Association, general secretary of the Việt Nam Writers’ Association and member of the National Assembly of Việt Nam.

Nam’s notable works include Bên Đường 12 (On the Road 12), Quê Hương (Homeland), Ngày Xuân (Spring Day) and Hồi Ức Tình Yêu (Memories of Love).

The senior writer also penned many children’s works. In 1963, he published the renowned story Văn Ngan Tướng Công (Văn Ngan the Duck General) that was translated into Russian by Soviet writer Marian Tkachov and published in the former Soviet Union.

With significant contributions to the development of Vietnamese literature, he was awarded the 2001 State Prize in Literature and Arts. — VNS