Kottayam, Jan 17 (PTI) Noted lyricist and director Alleppey Ranganath passed away late Sunday night, family sources said.

He was 73.

Also Read | Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat Expelled from BJP, Removed from Dhami Cabinet Ahead of Assembly Polls: Sources.

Ranganath was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the medical college hospital here.

The eldest among six children of Alappuzha Vezhappra Kunjukunju Bhagavathar and Gana Bhushanam M G Devammal, Ranganath has directed 42 plays and 25 dance dramas.

Also Read | Punjab Assembly Elections 2022: BJP to Hold Meeting to Decide Seat-Sharing Tomorrow, Party Likely to Contest on 80, Allies to Get 37 Seats.

He wrote and composed music for a play by the Kanjirapally People's Arts Club at the age of 19 and first composed music for the song Hosanna from the 1973 film, Jesus.

Ranganath recently wrote 10 keerthanas, composed in Carnatic music, based on Bible verses.

He had also penned numerous Lord Ayyappa devotional songs and received this year's Harivarasanam Award.

(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)