Thoppil Mohamed Meeran, Tamil novelist and Sahitya Akademi awardee, passes away at 74

Noted Tamil author and Sahitya Akademi winner Thoppil Mohammed Meeran passed away this Friday, 11 May. He was 74. According to the Hindu , Meeran breathed his last at his residence at Veerabahu Nagar in Pettai near in Tirunelveli at around 1.30 am. He is survived by his wife Jaleela and two sons Shameem Ahmed and Mirzad Ahmed. Born in 1944 in Kanniyakumari district, Meeran authored the novels Oru Kadalora Kiramathin Kathai (1988, The Story of Sea Side Village), Turaimugam (1991, Harbour), K__oonan Thoppu (1993, The Grove of a Hunchback), Saivu Narkkali (1995, The Reclining Chair) and Anju vannam theru (2011). In 1997, Saaivu Naarkkaali bagged him the Sahitya Akademi Award. His short story collections include Anbuku Muthumai Illai, Thankarasu, Anathasainam Colony, among others. He had also translated a number of books, including ones by NP Mohammed, MN Karassery and UA Khader. Many took to Twitter to express their condolences for the late writer.