Noted Kashmiri Poet and social activist Shafi Shaida is dead. He was 71. Shaida was conferred the prestigious Sahitya Akedemi Award for his poetry collection "Amar". He was associated with various political parties and held post of cultural advisor to the Chief Minister during the last tenure of Dr. Farooq Abdullah. Many literary and cultural organisations have condoled his death and recalled his contribution to Kashmiri literature and public life. <br/>