Thrissur (Kerala) | Veteran journalist, tantric painter and former chairman of Lalithakala Academy K A Francis died due to a heart-related ailment here on Thursday, family sources said.

He was 76.

He is survived by his wife and three children.

The cremation will be held in Kottayam on Saturday, sources said.

Beginning his journalistic career at Malayala Manorama in the 1970s, Francis led the Kannur unit of the daily from 1999 to 2002. Later, he served as the editor of Manorama weekly for nearly two decades, retiring in December 2021.

A well-known tantric painter, Francis also held significant positions as the chairman of the state-run Lalithakala Academy and the president of the Kerala Chithrakala Parishath.

In his condolence message, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Francis had diligently focused on the selection and presentation of news based on the readers' interests.

The chief minister also acknowledged Francis's numerous honours as a painter and said his demise was painful.