Renowned Kannada writer and Jnanpith awardee U.R. Ananthamurthy passed away here Friday after a brief illness. He was 82.

 

 Ananthamurthy, who was admitted in a private hospital last week for treatment following infection and fever, was put on multi-support system as his condition turned critical earlier in the day, hospital sources said.

 

 "As his condition worsened, we had put him on life-support systems, including dialysis," a Manipal Hospital spokesman told reporters later.