S Gopan Nair, the voice of the anti-smoking advertisement in Malayalam played in cinemas, is no more. He was a senior journalist and former head of the Malayalam department of Akashavani. He was 79 years old and died of age-related ailments at the Batra Hospital in New Delhi on Monday.
Gopan was only 21 when he joined the Delhi Akashavani as a news presenter. At a time when radio was the only source of news, Gopan's voice let the country know many important news such as the demise of Jawaharlal Nehru and the launch of the Aryabhata satellite. He read the news in Malayalam for nearly 40 years and retired as the head of the Malayalam department. After retirement, Gopan did independent programmes for Doordarshan and Akashavani.
It is also after his retirement that he became a voice of the central government advertisements and Malayalis heard him again in movie theatres. His lines for the anti-smoking ad - ‘Swasakosam sponge poleyanu’ (Your lungs are like a sponge) - became much popular. He has also lent his voice for advertisements of various ministries of the central government.
Mortal remains of Gopan will be kept at the Kerala House in New Delhi from 11 am to 1 pm on Tuesday for the public to pay homage. Between 2 pm and 4.30 pm, his body will be taken to his house in New Delhi and be cremated between 5.30 pm and 6 pm.
Gopan hailed from Thiruvananthapuram. He leaves behind his wife Radha and son Pradeep.