THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Renowned music composer and singer M G Radhakrishnan passed away at a private hospital Friday afternoon at 1.45 pm.

He was 70. Radhakrishnan was hospitalised a week ago following liver ailments.

Born at Haripad in Alappuzha to famous harmonium expert Malabar Gopalan Nair and Kamalaskhi Amma, he entered the film world as a music composer for the film Thambu in 1978.

He leaves behind his wife Padmaja and two children—Rajakrishnan (Sound Engineer, Four Frames, Chennai) and Karthika (Software Engineer, Techno park). Padmaja is a short story writer. Noted singer M G Sreekumar is his brother and Karnatic vocalist Dr Omanakutty is his sister.

His body will be kept for public view today in Music College, Thycaud. At 1’o clock he will be brought to his house. His body would be cremated at Shantikavadam, Thycaud at 3.30 pm today.

Radhakrishnan was well known for his music composition for light music while he was working in Akashvani, Trivandrum. Radhakrishnan began his music career after being posted as music director with All India Radio in 1962. His 'Lalitha Sangeetha Padam', light music programme, endeared him to the AIR listeners.

He rendered music to songs in about 40 films, including Thakara, Ananthabhadram, Kaatu Vannu Vilichappol, Sarvakalaashala, Jaalakam, Nombarathi Poovu, Vellanakalude Naadu, Adwaitham, Manichithrathazhu, Chenkol and Ammayane Satyam.

He got the Kerala State Film Award for best music director for the Achaneyanenikkishtam in 2001 and Ananthabhadram in 2005. It was Radhakrishnan, who introduced playback singer K S Chitra to the Malayalam film industry by giving her a chance in "Attahasam".

He began his career as a playback singer in 1969 in ‘Kallichellamma’. But he found a music director in himself. He made his debut as a composer with director Aravindan’s 1978 movie "Thampu". In his almost three-decade-long career, he composed music for more than 30 Malayalam films. His last film was director Santosh Sivan’s "Ananthabhadram" in 2005.

He has also composed the poems of Kamala Das a famous Indian writer.

Famous singer K J Yesudas was his classmate at Swathi Thirunnal Music College. Music within him was extracted while his studies under Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and K S Narayana Swamy.

Some of his compositions like ‘Naadha nee varum kaalocha kelkuvan’ (Chaamaram), ‘Oh Marudule Hrudaya Muraliyil’ (Njan Ekananu), Orumichu Cherum Naam (Ayitham), ‘Gopalaka Pahimam’ (Rakkuyilin Raagasadassil), Nilavinte Neela Bhasma (Agnidevan), Pazhamthamizh (Manichithra Thaazhu), Thira Nurayum (Ananthabhadram) are among all-time favourite Malayalam songs