Noted Kannada poet and film lyricist M.N. Vyasa Rao passed away at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday morning.

He was 73 and is survived by his wife, daughter and a son.

Vyasa Rao collapsed after suffering a massive cardiac arrest while having his breakfast and died in his house, sources said.

A bank employee by profession, Vyasa Rao entered Kannada film industry as a lyricist in 1975 in the hit film Shubhamangala directed by thespian Puttanna Kanagal. The songs he wrote for the film — “Suryangu chandrangu bandare munisu” and “Nakondla Naku” — remain classics even today.

He worked as a lyricist for many Puttanna Kanagal films and later expanded his repertoire. Many of his other poems are also known as ‘bhaavageetes’ (light music).

Vyasa Rao was also a novelist and had authored several detective and literary novels in Kannada, apart from writing short stories.

He was also a recipient of Karnataka Rajya Sahitya Academy award for his short story collection “Maleyalli Neneda Maragalu”.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by K.V. Aditya Bharadwaj / Bengaluru – July 15th, 2018