Chennai, Sep 13 (IANS): Senior Tamil journalist Rangarajan is popularly known as 'Sudhangan' died here on Saturday following a brief spell of illness.

He was 63.

He was admitted to a private hospital a couple of days back where he passed away.

Sudhangan began his journalistic career with a Tamil publication called 'Dhisaigala' and later joined Kumudam magazine.

It was here he changed his name to Sudhangan as the publication had another person by name Rangarajan.

Sudhangan later joined the Vikatan group and left as the Senior Editor of investigative magazine Junior Vikatan to join Tamil daily Dinamani as its editor.

Subsequently, he became the Editor of Tamizhan Express.

From print media, Sudhangan then migrated to television and was on several channels.

The President of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) M.K.Stalin condoling the journalist's death said that in his career spanning 42 years Sudhangan has worked in various fields and left his imprint.

Madras Reporters Guild President R. Rangaraj said Sudhangan spearheaded a wave of investigative journalism, especially through Junior Vikatan.

His book Suttachhu Suttachhu on the M.G.Ramachandran (MGR)-M.R. Radha dispute which led to the shooting incident was a bestseller.

Chennai Press Club Joint Secretary Bharathi Tamizhan condoling Sudhagan's death he had won an award for rural reporting in The Statesman daily in 1986.

Sudhangan has written over 40 short stories, one short novel and has also written a serial in the Ananda Vikatan magazine, Tamizhan said.