Well-known Malayalam film music director Kaithapram Viswanathan Namboothiri passed away in a hospital at Vellalassery in Kerala on 29th December due to cancer. He was 58 and is survived by his wife and three children.
Although he had scored the music for a few films only, he carved out a comfortable place for himself among other prolific music composers. He was the younger brother of renowned lyricist and musician Kaithapram Damodharan Namboothiri.
Before entering films, Kaithapram Viswanathan taught music in a school in Kaithapram hamlet of Northern Kannur district of Kerala, where he was born. He started his own music institute before turning a music director.
Among the films he had composed the music for are Kannaki, Thilakkam and Daivanamathil. He won the Kerala state film award for his background score in Kannaki in 2001.