Wednesday, March 30 2005 13:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Well-known writer and cartoonist O V Vijayan died at a local Corporate Hospital today (Mar 30, 2005) morning, following cardio-respiratory arrest. He was 75.

Vijayan was admitted to the local Hospital with multiple syndrome, including cardiac arrest, and was suffering from aspiration pneumonia - sepsis.

Dr Prabhu Ram said that he was declared dead at 05.30 am (IST) at Care Hospital in Banjara Hills. His nephew Uday Kumar, who is a doctor at the same hospital, said that Vijayan had been critically ill and had been on a ventilator since he was admitted in Hospital on March 2.

Vijayan, who had been admitted to the hospital in August last year (2004), was suffering from sepsis and Parkinson's disease. He is survived by his wife and a son who lives in the US.

Vijayan was an early exponent of modern fiction in Malayalam, but also wrote in English. Cartoonist, novelist, columnist and short-story writer, Vijayan has to his credit five novels, including his maiden effort "Khasakkinte Itihasam".

He also wrote several short stories and articles.

He was the first Malayali author to highlight the issue of environmental degradation through prose and the creative mind in him very much feared a nuclear holocaust, as is evident from his writings.

Oottupulackal Velukkutty Vijayan, popularly known as O V Vijayan, was born in Vilayanchanthannoor village in Palakkad, Kerala on July 2, 1930. His father was an officer in Malabar Special Police of the erstwhile Madras Province of British India.

He graduated in arts from the Government Victoria College, Palakkad, and afterwards took a master's degree in English literature from Presidency College, Chennai. Vijayan's career begins with a short stint at teaching, initially at Malabar Christian College, Calicut and later at Government Victoria College, Palakkad.

Vijayan soon opted for full-time journalism and left Kerala in 1958 to pursue his active interest in the world of cartoons in Delhi. He joined Shanker's Weekly, Delhi in 1958. He was cartoonist who was continuously taking themes of politics and writer of political satire. His political cartoons during the period of emergency were famous.

After five years he moved to Patriot as a staff cartoonist. He also worked for The Hindu and The Statesman.

He married Theresa Gabriel, a philosophy teacher, in Delhi.

Cremation in Palakkad

The body of Vijayan will be brought to Palakkad for cremation. The body will first be taken to his residence at Secunderabad and then be brought to the State by a special aircraft.

The decision to bring the body to the State was taken by Vijayan's wife Dr Thresa. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also contacted Vijayan's relatives on behalf of the Government and asked them to bring the body to the State.