Born in 1928 in the erstwhile Mandi princely state, Nutan was regarded as one of Himachal Pradesh’s pioneering literary voices. He earned national recognition for writing the story that inspired the popular Hindi film Geet Gaaya Pattharon Ne. Some critics also considered him Himachal’s first short story writer following the publication of his story Mamta in 1948.
A multifaceted personality, Nutan spent his early years as an ascetic, studying religious texts and advocating social reforms against untouchability and blind rituals. Over the decades, he authored around 20 books, including novels, poetry, plays and essays. He also worked with Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai and remained associated with literary and cultural movements throughout his life. Nutan received several honours, including the Dr YS Parmar State Award.