  We present new observations of the nebular remnant of the old nova GK Persei
1901, in the optical using the 2m HCT and at low radio frequencies using the
GMRT. The evolution of the nova remnant indicates shock interaction with the
ambient medium, especially in the southwest quadrant. Application of a simple
model for the shock and its evolution to determine the time dependence of the
radius of the shell in the southwest quadrant indicates that the shell is now
expanding into an ambient medium that has a lower density compared to the
density of the ambient medium ahead of the shock in 1987.There are indications
of a recent interaction of the nova remnant with the ambient medium in the
northeast quadrant also. The nova remnant of GK Per is detected at all the
observed radio frequencies and is of similar extent as the optical remnant.
Putting together our radio observations with VLA archival data on GK Per from
1997, we obtain three interesting results: 1. The spectrum above 1.4 GHz
follows a power law with an index -0.7 and below 1.4 GHz follows a power law
with an index ~ -0.85. This could be due to the presence of at least two
populations of electrons dominating the global emission at different
frequencies. 2. We record an annual secular decrease of 2.1% in the flux
density of the nova remnant at 1.4 and 4.9 GHz between 1984 and 1997 which has
left the spectral index unchanged at -0.7. No such decrease is observed in the
flux densities below 1 GHz. 3. We record an increase in the flux density at
0.33 GHz compared to the previous estimate in 1987. We conclude that the
remnant of nova GK Per is similar to supernova remnants and in particular, to
the young supernova remnant Cas A.
