ALAPPUZHA: Kamalakshi Amma, wife of Jnanpith laureate late Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, died today, family sources said. She was 91 and breathed her last in a hospital at Tiruvalla near here, where she was taken this morning after she complained of uneasiness.
Kamalakshi Amma is survived by a son and four daughters.
Called endearingly as 'Katha' by her husband and his friends, she had been an inspiration for the writer for decades until his death in 1999.
In his memoirs, Thakazhi himself had acknowledged that his wife had been a great support in his long literary career.
One of the most popular novelists in Malayalam, Thakazhi was honoured with the prestigious literary award Jnanpith Award in 1984.
Widely read works include "Chemmeen", which was made into a national award-winning film.
Writers and cultural leaders expressed profound grief at the death of Katha.