Kochi | Retired IAS officer Christy Fernandez, who served as the Secretary to former President Pratibha Patil, died at a private hospital here early on Monday, hospital sources said.

He was 73.

Fernandez was undergoing treatment for the past two weeks for gastroenterology ailments.

Family sources said the funeral will be held on December 6 at Kollam.

Fernandez, who belonged to the 1973 batch of IAS Gujarat cadre, had also unsuccessfully contested as a Left backed candidate from the Ernakulam constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

He later served as the Chairman of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).

Fernandez had also worked as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department and the tourism Department of the Gujarat Government besides as Chairman and Managing Director of Several Public Sector Companies.