The legendary Ki Rajanarayanan one of the most celebrated and prolific Tamil writers in the modern era passed away at the age of 98 due to age-related issues. He is survived by his two sons and their families with his wife having passed away much earlier. His last rites will be held today.

Legendary actor Sivakumar in his condolence statement has stated that he has lost his godfather. He has added " "I lost my father ten months after I was born... I have now lost my guru Kira. Kira and Ganapathi Ammal were like a father and mother to me. I have known them for 35 years. I have also taken part in many events with him. I sincerely regret not being able to go in person and pay tribute to him due to this COVID situation. I pray to the Lord for him to rest in peace."

Rajanarayanan who is fondly known as Ki Ra who won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1991 and several more in his career spanning six decades is also an inspiration for overcoming debilitating hardships. He was afflicted by tuberculosis at a very young age that forced him to quit his studies and it took a long time for him to return to normalcy only at the age of 30.

Ki Ra in his long and celebrated writing career has given gems to the Tamil people that includes Gopalla Gramam, Gopala Gramathu Makkal, Karisalkaattu Kadithasi, Vattara Vazhakku Sollagarathi, etc. His body of work includes 11 folklores, 7 short stories, 5 novels, and 12 non-fiction books. RIP! Legend.

ஞானதந்தையை இழந்து விட்டேன், இப்படி ஒரு மனிதர் இனிமேல் உருவாக முடியாது ! - இலக்கிய ஆளுமை கீரா அவர்களுக்கு நடிகர் சிவக்குமார் #sivakumar #actorsivakumar இரங்கல் ! #KiRajanarayanan #kira #RIPkiRajanarayanan #novelist #writer #May17 pic.twitter.com/8eK7BnhOyw

— Johnson PRO (@johnsoncinepro) May 18, 2021