Reputed Tamil Writer, Marxist scholar, and literary critic Kovai Gnani has passed away at his residence in Coimbatore on Wednesday at the age of 85. 

Gnani was acknowledged as one of the greatest Tamil Marxist critiques and as a writer, he has authored around 50 books. According to the reports, Gnani has breathed his last around 11.15 am on Wednesday at his residence in Coimbatore due to age-related illnesses. The writer's son Pari Vallal has confirmed the former's demise. 

Gnani was accredited as a mentor for several Tamil writers of modern times. He was also one of the strong literary critics who influenced most of today's modern Tamil writers. He has written around 50 volumes of literary criticism, poetry, and Marxist theory and he also earned the reputation of being an uncompromising critic, a gentle, and approachable person.

Being a Marxism scholar, Gnani has run magazines by the titles Nigazh, Parimanam, and Tamizhneyam on Marxism and he also has founded platforms for highlighting the Tamil literature. The writer has conferred with various accolades and recognitions during his lifetime for his contributions to Tamil literature and Marxism. 

In 2009, he was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Tamil Literary garden. He was conferred with the Parithimar Kalaignar Tamil Scholar award in 2013 for the best research book on Tamil and this award was given by the Tamil Perayam of SRM Institute of Science and Technology. In 1998, he was honored with the Pudumaipithan Vilakku award. 

Gnani was born in 1935 as K Palaniswami. He did his Tamil Literature at Annamalai University and he worked as a teacher for more than three decades. He lost his eyesight in 1988 due to diabetes. Despite the challenge, he continued his work in Literature. Gnani has been surviving with two sons - Pari Vallal and Madhavan. His wife Indrani had died due to cancer in 2012. According to the reports, Gnani's last rites will take place on Thursday.