Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, who heralded modernism in Malayalam poetry, died at a private hospital here on Thursday. He was 94.

A widower, the Mahakavi (great poet) leaves behind two sons and four daughters.

Hospital sources said he was admitted for age-related ailments a couple of days ago and the end came at 8.10am.

Popularly known as Akkitham, his Irupatham Noottandinte Ithihasam (Epic of the 20th Century) is considered as one of the first modernist poems in Malayalam literature.

A popular verse, “Velicham dukhamanunni, thamasallo sukhapradam”, which roughly translates to “light brings sorrow, my child, darkness is bliss”, has achieved the status of a proverb in Kerala. It is also interpreted as “worldly knowledge is pain, my child, ignorance is bliss”.

He penned around 45 books, including poetry anthologies, plays and short stories, including Balidarsanam (The Vision of Bali), Arangettam, Nimisha Kshetram, Idinju Polinja Lokam, Amrita Ghatika, Kalikkottilil and many more.

Among the numerous awards which came his way are Padma Shri, Ezhuthachan Award and the Jnanpith.