Kollam (Kerala), Oct 19 (IANS): Novelist George Varghese Kakkanadan - popularly known as Kakkanadan - died here Wednesday morning, according to family sources. He was 76.

Kakkanadan was battling cancer for the past few years. He breathed his last at a private hospital in Kollam, 70 km from Thiruvananthapuram. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

A multi-faceted personality, Kakkanadan began his career as a school teacher. He later worked with the Indian Railways in Delhi for 10 years before he quit his job to pursue his interest in Physics and went to West Germany in 1967.

But after a few years of dabbling in Physics, he quit his research and shifted full time to writing.

He was often credited with laying the foundation of modernism in Malayalam literature and was a recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award.

He authored numerous short stories and novels. Two of his popular works have been made into superhit Malayalam films.

His popular works include "Ushnamekhala", "Vasoori", "Japana Pukayila", "Kakkanadante Priyakathakal" and "Saakshi".

A jovial personality, Kakkanadan was known for his trade mark flowing hair and one who used to express his feelings very openly and had a huge fan following.