NEW DELHI: Condoling the demise of Kathakali maestro Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi said on Monday that his
passion towards Indian culture and spirituality was legendary and he made exceptional efforts to groom
upcoming talent in classical dances.
Nair died at his residence in
Kerala early on Monday. He was 105.
He had been honoured with the
Padma Shree in 2017 in recognition of his glorious contribution to the art form.
His portrayal of Lord
Krishna and Kuchela on stage often left the audience spellbound, and his last notable public performance was at the age of 100.
Paying tributes,
Modi tweeted, "Saddened by the demise of Kathakali maestro, Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair. His passion towards Indian culture and spirituality was legendary. He made exceptional efforts to groom upcoming talent in our classical dances. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti."