New Delhi: Famous writer Omchery N N Pillai, who lived to be 100 years old, passed away on Friday due to age-related health issues. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi when he died. His funeral is scheduled for Sunday.
Pillai’s wife, Leela Omchery, a well-known classical singer, had passed away in November of the previous year.
Born on February 1, 1924, in Moothedathukavu near TV Puram in Vaikom, Omchery was the youngest son of P Narayana Pillai and Pappikkuttiyamma. He began his education at Vaikom English High School and later studied Sanskrit and the Vedas at the Advaita Ashram in Aluva, under the guidance of Agamananda Swami.
After finishing his intermediate studies at CMS College in Kottayam, he graduated in Islamic History and Culture from the University College in Thiruvananthapuram. Omchery moved to Delhi in 1951, where he joined All India Radio's Malayalam news division.
Throughout his career, Omchery received numerous prestigious awards. In 1972, he was honored with the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for his play "Pralayam." He later won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award again in 2010 for his overall contribution to literature. His memoir "Aakasmikam" (The Accidental) earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award. He was also the first recipient of the Kerala Prabha Award.
Omchery’s legacy is carried on by his daughter, Deepti Omchery Bhalla, a Mohiniyattam dancer and professor of Carnatic music at Delhi University.
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