The deadly COVID 19 is continuing its trail of death snatching away loved ones and has shown no discrimination in its wake of carnage. The latest the world has to do without is S. Ilayaraja hailed as the King of Realism Art by his contemporaries and art lovers.

According to reports Ilayaraja went to Kumbakonam recently to attend the wedding of his niece and returned to Chennai. He had cold-like symptoms and self-medicated but as days went by his family members started showing COVID 19 symptoms and his condition worsened drastically and was admitted to a private hospital in Egmore, Chennai.

Doctors had informed that Ilayaraja's lungs were badly affected and he was given oxygen therapy but sadly at around midnight of the 6th of June he suffered a massive heart attack and passed away at the young age of 43.

Ilayaraja was born in the Sembiyavarambil village near Kumbakonam and studied art at the Fine Arts College in Chennai and his paintings have been published as illustrations to stories in the Ananda Vikatan right from 2010 and he gained prominence.

Ilayaraja specialized in Realism Art which has few exponents throughout the world and his works have been recognized in the USA and other countries too. He is said to have had the ability to draw 300 oil paintings in four days or so. His focus was mainly on Dravidian women in their day-to-day lives such as cooking, worshipping, during puberty rituals, pregnancy, tending to her child and many many more respects of their lives portrayed in all its glory.

Ilayaraja's paintings were so realistic with especially the features of his subjects and the way he lights them up that one will most often than not mistake it for a photograph. He had a long connection with the Tamil film industry due to his passion for all kinds of arts including acting and dance.

Directors R Parthiban and Naveen Mohamed Ali have condoled the passing away of Ilayaraja and we join them in saluting his unparalleled contribution to art and making the Tamil that he loved proud. His creations will live forever. RIP!

எங்கள் குடும்ப நண்பர், குடும்பத்தில் ஒருவர், ஓவியர் இளையராஜா நேற்று இரவு கொரோனா சிகிச்சை பலனளிக்காமல் நம்மை பிரிந்தார். #OilPainting என்றால் இளையராஜாதான். அவருக்கு நிகர் எவருமில்லை. அப்படி ஒரு உச்சம் தொட்ட ஓவியர். இது தமிழ்நாட்டிற்கும் ஓவியத்துறைக்கும் பேரிழப்பு#ஓவியர்இளையராஜா pic.twitter.com/xlgJcRp4fh

— Naveen Mohamedali (@NaveenFilmmaker) June 7, 2021

. நண்பன்/அன்புத் தம்பி
ஓவியர் இளையராஜா மறைவு,
மன அதிர்ச்சியையும் தாளா துயரத்தையும் ஏற்படுத்தி இருக்கிறது. ஆறுதல் எனக்கே தேவையெனும் போது அவர் குடும்பத்தாருக்கு எப்படி?
ARTIST ELAYARAJA INTERVIEW | JOURNEY_FOR_ART | MADURAI_OVN https://t.co/wRaYm8fHM8 via @YouTube .

— Radhakrishnan Parthiban (@rparthiepan) June 7, 2021