Noted artist S. Elayaraja, who became famous for drawing realistic paintings of Dravidian women, died at a private hospital in Chennai on Monday morning due to Covid-19 related complications.  He was 43.

A recipient of several state and national awards, Elayaraja was the youngest of 11 siblings. He had often said that he drew inspiration for his paintings from his large family.

S. Sivabalan, artist and mentor of Elayaraja in his earlier days, told the media, "Elayaraja's paintings were so realistic that they were often mistaken for photographs. He broke the tradition of artists being known only among the art circles, art curators and buyers, as his creations were popular among the common people also."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and several other celebrities condoled the untimely demise of the artist.

In his last interview, Elayaraja had said, "Death is inevitable. Only artists elude it. The artworks we leave behind ensure that we live beyond our stay in this world."