▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁the ▁Center ▁for ▁F iction ▁awarded ▁Me ht a ▁the ▁Max well ▁E . ▁Per kins ▁Award , ▁honour ing ▁the ▁lifetime ▁work ▁of ▁an ▁editor , ▁publish er ▁or ▁agent ▁" who ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁his ▁or ▁her ▁career ▁has ▁discovered , ▁n urt ured ▁and ▁champion ed ▁writers ▁of ▁fiction ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ." ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁he ▁married ▁G ita ▁Pat na ik , ▁daughter ▁of ▁Bij u ▁Pat na ik ▁and ▁sister ▁of ▁N ave en ▁Pat na ik . ▁She ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁document ary ▁film - maker ▁and ▁writer ▁under ▁her ▁married ▁name . ▁ ▁Son ny ▁Me ht a ▁died ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 7 . ▁ ▁Bibli ography ▁ ▁Entertainment ▁Week ly , ▁" The ▁ 1 0 1 ▁Most ▁Power ful ▁People ▁in ▁Entertainment ". ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Roger ▁C ohen , ▁" New ▁Publishing ▁Star , ▁Son ny ▁Me ht a , ▁Tal ks ▁Prof its ▁As ▁Well ▁As ▁Art ", ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁ 1 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁Ed win ▁Mc D ow ell , ▁" After ▁A ▁Year , ▁Kn opf ▁Sh ows ▁the ▁Imp act ▁of ▁Its ▁New ▁Publish er ", ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ,