Kozhikode (Kerala), Oct 27 (IANS): Hugely popular writer and novelist Punathil Kunjabdulla, passed away here on Friday, said a family member. He was 77.

A medical doctor by profession, Kunjabdulla is best known for his works -- "Smarakasilakal Marunnu", "Kanyavanangal", "Kathi", "Aligarh Kathakal" and "Malamukalile Abdulla" among many others.

Popularly called "Kunjikka", Kunjabdulla was ailing for a year. He breathed his last at 7.45 a.m. at a private hospital here.

Winner of the Sahithya Academy Award and twice the Kerala Sahithya Academy Award, Kunjikka represented the 'modernist' in Malayalam literature.

Born in Badagara near here, he completed his formal education from here.

He did his MBBS from the Aligarh Muslim University and later worked in the government medical sector, here.

Later on he had also opened his own nursing home here.

A strong willed personality, Kunjabdulla surprised many when he contested the 2001 assembly election from the Beypore assembly constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket and finished third by getting over 10,000 votes.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condoled his death.

His funeral will be held in the evening.