Mangaluru : Veteran Kannada and Tulu writer, folk scholar, researcher and Yakshagana author Amritha Someshwar passed away on January 6, Saturday morning. He was 89 years old.

The octogenarian was suffering from old age-related problems and was not keeping well for some time.

He was born in Adka village near Kotekar in Dakshina Kannada district on September 27, 1935. He did his graduation from St Aloysius College and post-graduation from Karnatak University, Dharwad.

Born on September 27, 1935 to Chiriyanda and Amuni couple, Amritha Someshwara had a passion for Kannada and Tulu despite his mother tongue being Malayalam.

He did his schooling from Stella Mary Convent at Kotekar and Anandashrama while he pursued graduation at St Aloysius College. He secured his MA from Karnataka University in Dharwad. He served as lecturer in his alma mater Aloysius College and later at St Philomena College. He served as the Head of the Department of Kannada at Vivekananda College in Puttur and retired in 1993.

Amritha Someshwara had authored over 70 works including Alegiri, Vanamale, Bhramana, Theerada There, Koti Chennaya. Tambila Rangeetha is a collection of Tulu poems. He had also authored several radio plays.

Amritha Someshwara had won innumerous awards including Parthi Subba Award, Tulu Academy Award, Nudisiri Award, Rajyotsava Award and the Kendra Sahitya Academy Bhasha Samman Award for the year 2016.