Tamil writer Prapanchan died in Puducherry on Friday at the age of 73, The Indian Express reported. He was diagnosed with cancer last year and treated at a private hospital in Puducherry for nearly six months. After improvement in health, Prapanchan was discharged, but readmitted to the hospital on November 15.

Prapanchan, whose birth name was S Vaidyalingam, received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1995 for his novel Vaanam Vasappadum. He taught Tamil in a school in Thanjavur and also worked as a journalist, writing several Tamil weekly and fortnightly columns. Prapanchan had written more than 100 novels.

Earlier this year, the Puducherry government had given Prapanchan an honorary post in its Department of Tamil Development to contribute and create awareness about the historical aspects of Puducherry during the French period, according to The Hindu.