Bhubaneswar, June 9: Prominent Bharatnatyam exponent Sri Ganesan, a Malaysian citizen, collapsed while attending a cultural function here on Friday and was subsequently declared dead by doctors at a city hospital.

Ganesan, also the director of Sri Ganesalaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malasiya, was here to receive an award from a cultural organisation which was conducting a three-day Devadasi Dance event at Bhanja Kala Mandap here. Today was the last day of the event. Sunil Babu Dies at 50; Award-Winning Art Director Had Worked in Films like Bangalore Days, Ghajini and Varisu.

According to eyewitnesses, Sri Ganesan, about 60 years old, performed his dance and later while lighting a lamp collapsed on stage. He was immediately rushed to the Capital Hospital here where doctors declared him dead, an official said. SS Chakravarthy of NIC Arts Dies at 55; Tamil Producer Was Known for Films Like Vaali, Red Among Others.

"His (Ganesan) death could be due to sudden cardiac arrest. His body has been kept for postmortem tomorrow morning," a doctor at the Capital Hospital said. "He was in good health and performed a Bharatnatyam recital based on the Geet Govinda today evening. Unfortunately he collapsed whle lighting the lamp on stage," said Jagabandhu Jena, organiser of the festival.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)