KOLLAM: Singer and former general secretary of Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad V K Sasidharan, 83, passed away in Kollam on Wednesday. He had been under treatment for post-Covid complications at a private hospital in Changanassery for the past two weeks.
The veteran singer is credited with bringing a new style to recitation and playback singing. Fondly called VKS, he composed music for several poems, including Edassery’s Poothapattu and Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali. In 1967, he composed four songs with P K Sivadas for Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Kamuki.
The Paravur native completed his studies from Aluva UC college and Thiruvananthapuram Government Engineering College. He taught at Sree Narayana Polytechnic for 30 years. VKS loved to compose music in a way that highlighted the essence of the lyrics and the emotions it upheld.
He was an active member of Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad and composed many songs for its cultural processions. VKS’ final rites were held in his home town in Kollam and the body was cremated at the public crematorium in Polayathode at 1pm. He is survived by wife Vasantha Latha and daughter Deepti. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the demise of a dedicated musician like VKS comes as an irreparable loss to Kerala at a time when science and social values needed to be further promoted.