People from various walks of life paid tearful adieu to K.A. Francis, eminent artist and former chairman of Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, who died at the age of 76 on Thursday night.
Hundreds of people paid tribute to Francis when his body was placed at Akademi on Friday.
Kerala Lalithakala Akademi chairperson Murali Cheeroth; vice-chairperson Abi N. Joseph; Secretary N. Balamurali Krishnan; Kerala Sahitya Akademi secretary C.P. Aboobacker; Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi secretary Karivallur Murali; former secretaries of Kerala Lalithakala Akademi R. Gopalakrishnan; Sreemoolanagaram Mohan; former Sangeetha Nataka Akademi secretary P.V. Krishnan Nair; former MLA P.A. Madhavan, and others paid tribute to the artist.
Born in Kozhikode. Francis was noted as an artist, journalist and writer. Son of K.P. Antony Master, who established Universal Arts, which introduced Children’s and ‘On the Spot’ painting competitions in the State, Francis was a well known tantric artist. He was former editor-in-charge of Malayala Manorama weekly.
He was president of Chithrakala Parishat. He participated in many tantric painting exhibitions. He had won fellowship and award of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.
