DMDK chief and veteran actor Vijayakanth no more

CHENNAI: Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami, popularly known as 'Captain' Vijayakanth, the renowned Tamil actor and founder of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), passed away in a private hospital in Chennai on Thursday, December 28 at 9 am, following ill health.

"Captain Vijayakanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away in the morning on 28 December 2023," read a medical bulletin from a private hospital.

The 71-year-old had been undergoing treatment for severe cold and cough. The DMDK party sources on Tuesday had stated that he was admitted for regular check ups and would return home after the tests.

He was rushed to a private hospital on December 26 night. He tested positive for Covid-19 and was kept on ventilator support. He was last spotted in public on December 18 when he chaired the DMDK's 18th General Council meeting held at Thiruverkkadu.

With his health failing, the party's General Secretary post was handed over to his wife Premalatha in the GC meeting. Vijayakanth's health has been a concern since 2016.

In 2017, Vijayakanth travelled to Singapore for medical treatment. In 2020, he was hospitalised for Covid-19, and then again in May 2021 briefly. In 2020, he also underwent an amputation procedure.

In June 2022, he underwent surgery to improve the blood supply to his right leg. The improper blood supply had disrupted the blood supply to his leg and thus, amputation was necessary. The surgery was performed and three of the toes on his right leg were amputated. He was taken from the hospital to his residence in an ambulance after the declaration on December 28 morning.