Coimbatore : Senior Pontiff of Perur Math here, Shantalinga Ramasamy Adigalar passed away today, following age-related illness.

He was 94 and breathed his last around 12.15 pm.

He was heading several educational institutions, including Tamil College and Thai Tamil school in Perur, run by Perur Adheenam Trust.

Adigalar has served as a syndicate member of Madras University from 1972 to 1978 and played key role in making Tamil as the official language in Government offices and promoted traditional art and culture among the general public.

He was recipient of honorary doctorate from Avanashilingam University for Women here.

Adigalar had started a nursery school in 1977 with an aim to provide English education to the villagers in and around Perur, Math sources said.

The body is kept in sitting posture, as was the custom in the Math, for public to pay homage and a large number of devotees have gathered to pay last respect.

He will be buried in the same posture, traditionally called as Samadhi, late in the evening.