Hundreds of his disciples bid adieu to Padma awardee Sankara Narayana Menon Chundayil, popularly known as Unni Gurukkal, one of the senior-most martial art practitioners in the country, who died at his residence at Chavakkad here on Tuesday at the age of 94.
The country honoured Unni Gurukkal with Padma Shri last year considering his contributions to the Kalaripayattu. Chief trainer of the famous Vallabhatta Kalari, Chavakkad, Unni Gurukkal played a key role in popularising Kalaripayattu, a martial art of Kerala, across the world. Even at the age of 94, his day used to start at 5.30 a.m. at Vallabhatta Kalari.
Unni Gurukkal, who had disciples across the world, conducted training and performances in various foreign countries, including the U.S., France, the U.K., Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Russia, China, and Singapore. Vallabhatta has branches in the U.S., France, Belgium and the UAE.
