Mayyazhi(Kerala): Celebrated Malayalam short story writer, novelist, and playwright M Raghavan, aged 95, has passed away. He was the elder brother of acclaimed author M Mukundan.

Born in 1930 into the Maniyambath family in Mayyazhi, Raghavan initially managed a hotel in the French-influenced town before joining government service. He excelled in the Brava exam at the Ecole Centrale au Coeur Complementaire and went on to serve in the cultural department of the Consulate general of France in Mumbai and the Embassy of France in Indiain Delhi. He retired in 1983 as secretary of the Embassy’s cultural department.

M. Raghavan made significant contributions to Malayalam literature through his diverse works. His notable short story collections include 'Nanavu', 'Vadhu',' September Akaleyalla', and 'Iniyumethra Katham'. His novels, such as 'Nangees', 'Avan', 'Yathra Parayathe', and 'Chitariya Chitrangal', and his plays, including 'Karkkidakam', 'Chaturangam', and 'Dorayude Katha' (a translation of Helen J Sickles’s French play), have been widely acclaimed.

The funeral is scheduled to take place on Monday evening in Mayyazhi.