ALAPPUZHA: E Ramachandra Panicker (ERC Panicker), 86, owner of Panicker’s Travels, the first conducted tour operator in the country, died at the Medical College Hospital here due to age-related illness on Monday. The funeral will be held at Ambalappuzha on Tuesday.
He started the famous conducted tour operating business in Delhi in 1968. The enterprise now has branches in all major cities and it’s one of the leading tour operators in the country. Panicker began his business with Delhi-Agra tour package. Now, the Travels operates package tours to various pilgrim centres.
His son Babu Panicker is running the business now. Panicker is survived by wife Lakshmikutty Amma, son Babu, daughter Vimala Lakshmi, daughter-in-law Devi Priya and son-in-law P Balakrishnan.