Jnanpith awardee Dr C Narayana Reddy passed away here on Monday. The litterateur was rushed to the hospital this morning when he developed health complications but was pronounced dead. The death of the 85-year-old poet-author-writer-lyricist and former Rajya Sabha member was condoled by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Born in Hanumanjipet, in Rajanna Sircilla district on July 29, 1931, Dr C Narayana Reddy was also well-versed in Urdu. He also served as vice-chancellor of Telugu University.

Narayana Reddy’s meaningful lyrics for a large number of songs that he penned for Telugu films songs have been a huge hit. For the last few years, he was away from the film industry due to his health condition. Narayana Reddy, who graduated from Osmania University, went to earn honorary doctorates also. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1977 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. His compilation of poems, titled ‘Viswambhara’, got him the Jnanpith award in 1988. In 1997, he was nominated as a Member of the Rajya Sabha. His academic distinctions include serving as a professor of Osmania University and as Vice Chancellor of the Telugu University.

The Telugu film industry has condoled his death.