Thiruvananthapuram: Famous writer UA Khader has passed away. He died at Kozhikode at 5.30 pm today. He was 85 years old. He was suffering from lung cancer and was undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Star Care Hospital for a few days. He has won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for his contribution to Malayalam literature. His works ‘Thrikkottur Peruma’ and ‘Aghorasivam’ deserved the awards. He is the author of more than seventy books, including these. His last published novel was Shatru, published in 2011. He has also received the SK Pottakad Award, the Abu Dhabi Shakti Award, the VT Memorial Award and the Padma Prabha Award. UA Khader was born in 1935 in Billin, Myanmar. He was the son of Moithootty Haji, a native of Koyilandy, and Mamid, a Burmese. After graduating from Koyilandy High School, he graduated in painting from Madras Arts College. He has served on All India Radio, Kozhikode and the State Health Department.
