P K Sreemanavikraman Raja (PKS Raja), the Zamorin of Kozhikode, passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday afternoon owing to age-related illness. He was 93. Known as Cheriya Anujan Raja, he assumed the royal throne on March 27, 2013, after the demise of then Zamorin of Kozhikode, P K Sreemanavedan Raja.
Raja was admitted to a private hospital on Monday Morning with breathlessness and the end came at around 2.55 pm on Tuesday. The body will be cremated on Thiruvannur Kovilakam premises here on Wednesday at 8 am.
Kamala Raja is his wife. Satheesh Varma Raja and Smitha Raja are son-in-law and daughter-in-lawrespectively.
Born to Pateri Sakran Nambuthiripad and Puthiyakovilakom Kuttyambati Thambatti, Raja retired as secretary with Foreign Affairs Ministry as the third secretary in the Indian Embassy in Czechoslovakia, back in 1980.
An avid Kathakali enthusiast, Raja was also the patron of the Thodayam Kathakali Yogam. He passed his intermediate at the Zamorin’s College, did his graduation in science from Annamalai University and began his career in Delhi Secretariat. Hailed for his simplicity, Raja maintained a low profile.
On Sunday, he attended the meeting of the Thiruvannur Residents Association as well. Around 35 temples including Tali and Valayanad temples, five Brahmaswams and educational institutions come under the Zamorin of Kozhikode.
Raja’s family was gearing up for celebrating his 94th birthday in a grand way at Valayanad Temple, which was on May 25, 2014.
Kozhikode MP M K Raghavan, District Collector C A Latha, BJP state president V Muralidharan and various other dignitaries paid last respects to the mortal remains of P K S Raja.