Kozhikode: Renowned linguist and former head of the Malayalam department at Calicut University, Dr T B Venugopala Panikkar, passed away on Wednesday. He was 79. A native of Ezhikkara in Ernakulam, he was residing at Thirichilangadi, Farook College. An esteemed teacher, linguist, and grammarian, he had received both the Kerala and Kendra Sahitya Akademi Awards.

He earned a degree in Physics and a postgraduate degree in Malayalam from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. Later, he secured the first rank in his postgraduate studies in linguistics from Annamalai University. Under the guidance of Sukumar Azhikode, he completed his doctorate at Calicut University with the thesis Kerala Panineeyathinte Peedhika – Oru Vimarsanathmaka Padanam.

Dr Panikkar began his career in 1971 as a research assistant at Madras University and joined Calicut University as a faculty member in the Malayalam department in 1973. He later served as the head of the department from 2003 to 2005. He also worked as the Dean of the Language and Literature Department at Kannur University and was a member of the Lakshadweep Socio Research Commission.

He was actively involved in academic committees and examination boards of Madras, Aligarh, Kerala, MG and Kannur Universities, as well as UPSC, UGC, and the Indian Language Faculty at Tamil University, Thanjavur. He presented papers at over 100 national and international seminars, including the first International Dravidian Seminar held at the University of Cologne, Germany. He also interviewed Noam Chomsky during his visit to India for a private news channel.

His book Bhashartham won the I C Chacko Endowment Award from the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, while his Malayalam translation of the Tamil novel Koonan Thoppu received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Award. He authored numerous books on linguistics and Malayalam grammar.

Born on August 2, 1945, in Ezhikkara, near North Paravur, he was the youngest of eight children of Ulanat Balakrishna Panikkar and Tharamel Meenakshikunju Amma.

He is survived by his wife, Prof P Rajalakshmi (retired professor of Malayalam, Government Arts College, Meenchanda), and children Kannan (Onmanorama, Kottayam) and Athira (dancer). His daughter-in-law is Sajana and son-in-law, Rajesh (IT professional, Thiruvananthapuram).

The funeral will be held on Thursday at 10 am at Mavoor Road Crematorium, Kozhikode.