Renowned Indian Poet Akitham Passed away

Kerala

Renowned Indian poet and Jnanpith laureate Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri passed away in the Indian state of Kerala on Thursday. Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature".

94 years old Akkitham was admitted to a private hospital due to age-related ailments, died at 8.10 am, hospital sources told news agency PTI.

Born in 1926 in Kerala’s Palakkad district, Akitham penned his first poem when he was eight. He went on to become one of the popular writers in Malayalam, he also bagged several literary accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1973. A Padma Shri awardee, Akkitham is also known for his critical essays, short stories, and other literary works, which were translated into multiple languages.