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”.
