Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 15 (IANS): Three weeks after eminent Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri was conferred with the Jnanpith award, the hugely popular writer often referred to as Akkitham, passed away at a hospital in Thrissur on Thursday morning, said family sources.

He was unwell for a few days. He breathed his last around 8.10 a.m.

The funeral will be held according to the Covid protocols and will take place at his hometown in Patambi in Palakkad district, later in the day.

The 93-year-old literary icon was given the Jnanpith at his residence 'Devayanam' by Kerala Culture Minister A.K. Balan on September 24.

Seated in an armchair at his home, Akkitham received the award and became the sixth Keralite to be conferred with the prestigious literary award.

Akkitham's work includes "Irupatham Noottantinte Ithihasam", "Balidarashanam" and "Dharma Sooryan" among over 45 works of poems, plays and short stories.