Veteran Kannada actress Prathima Devi passed away aged 88 on Tuesday, April 6, at 2.30 PM in Bengaluru. The family says that since she always wanted to spend her last days in Mysuru, she will be laid to rest in Mysuru on April 7 after 1.30 pm.

According to her family members, she had a habit of sleeping before her lunch every day. On Tuesday (April 6th) also, she was sleeping on her bed in the afternoon. When her family members tried to wake her up, she did not respond.

However, thinking that she might have lost her consciousness due to her old age, the family members immediately rushed her to a hospital, where she was declared brought dead.

Prathima Devi, who hailed from the town of Udupi in coastal Karnataka, is survived by her sons S V Rajendra Singh Babu, Sangram Singh, Jayaraj Singh, and daughter Vijayalakshmi Singh, who are all prominent members of the Kannada film fraternity.

Prathima Devi, who joined professional theatre at the age of 11, made her debut in films with Krishnaleela in 1947. Born as Mohini in 1933, the actress adopted the new name Prathima Devi as she made her foray into the silver screen with the film ''Krishna Leela'' at the age of 15. She was married to eminent Kannada film actor, director, and producer late D Shankar Singh, producer of Mahatma Pictures.

In a career spanning decades, Prathima Devi worked in over 60 movies. Some of the prominent films that she has acted in include Raja Satyavrata, Sri Srinivasa Kalyana, Chanchala Umari, Muttidella Chinna, Shivasharane Namiyakka, Mangala Sutra, Dharmasthala Mahatme.

In his condolence message, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expressed his deep sorrow. She was one of the towering personalities in the Kannada film industry and the Kannada film industry has lost one of the most talented actors in her death, the Chief Minister said in a statement.

Prathima Devi was awarded the Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001-02 by the Karnataka government.