India, March 9 -- Renowned historian and academic KN Panikkar passed away at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. He was 89.

He was suffering from age-related health complications and is survived by his two daughters Ragini and Shalini.

Panikkar served as professor of history at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where he also functioned as the dean of the School of Social Science. He also served as Vice-Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit and the chairman of Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR).

Born in Guruvayoor in present-day Thrissur district of Kerala in 1936, Panikkar completed his education at the Victoria College in Palakkad and Rajasthan University. He taught at various institut...