Udupi : Writer and Kendra Sahitya Akademi awardee Bhaskar Maiya, 70, passed away in Udupi on Thursday morning.

According to family members, he was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Saligrama, near Udupi, for the last four days following COVID-19 infection. He had a cardiac arrest in the morning.

Mr. Maiya worked for a long time as Hindi professor in Bhandarkar College in Kundapur. Known for his progressive writing, he had brought out more than 50 books. He was awarded Kendra Sahitya Akademi award for his book Ajanabeepan Ek Saiddanthik Anushilan. A prolific learner, Mr. Maiya had a doctorate in Hindi, a master’s degree in Philosophy, Prakrit, Sanskrit and English from Karnatak University, Dharwad.

He did MA in Jainology and Comparative Religion from Jain Vishva Bharti University, Ladnun, Rajasthan.