Veteran director John Sankaramangalam dead

Veteran film personality John Sankaramangalam, a former director of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, died at a hospital near Thiruvalla on Monday. He was 84 and he died due to age-related illness.

John has won two National and four Kerala State Film Awards. He also served as chairman and jury of many national and international film festivals and participated as an official delegate to a number of film festivals.

He was former vice chairman of Kerala Chalachithra Academy. John was born at Eraviperoor near Pathanamthitta. His directorial titles include "Saramsham", "Samandaram", "Aval Alpam Vaikippoyi" and "Janma Bhoomi".