UAE-based journalist and literary giant Jalil Ramanthali recently passed away in his home state of Kerala on Monday at the age of 70. The news of his death was greatly praised by the Indian expatriate community from Kerala, among which he was a highly respected member.Born as Irayat Jalil, the veteran writer was prominently known by his pen name Jalil Ramanthali. According to numerous media reports, he was taken to hospital at 2 a.m. on Monday after complaining of chest pain, but his life could not be saved. Jaleel retired as Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief of a prominent Malayalam newspaper and has authored more than a dozen books throughout his career. He has also contributed regularly to various Malayali publications in the UAE and Kerala, and has also contributed to TV serials, documentaries and music albums, including the award-winning TV movie ‘Dooram’. Among his most famous works is a book about the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, titled “Sheikh Zayed” and written in Malayali. The book is widely considered to be the first book in Hindi on the leader and about five editions of it were printed and distributed free to Malayali readers across countries. His latest book ‘Pravasa Thudippukal’ (Pulses of Expatriate Life) was recently released in January 2026.
He was also one of the founding leaders of Indian Media Group Abu Dhabi (IMA), a group of journalists in Abu Dhabi. Jalil began his career as a local newspaper reporter while working in a private company, and later changed careers to pursue journalism and literature, eventually becoming Abu Dhabi bureau chief for the Middle East region Chandrika, said Jalil Pattambi, a former journalist colleague of the late writer at Gulf News. He has been honored with numerous awards for his literary and reporting works such as Sahrudaya-Azhekode Award for Overall Contribution, Chiranthana Samskara Vedi Award and more. His column ‘Gulf Sketches’ was later incorporated into a book and remains one of the best records of early Malayali life in the Gulf.“He has received many awards and recognitions for his contributions. We are holding a condolence meeting to honor him, and one of our representatives will attend his funeral back home,” said Sameer Kalara, head of Indian Media Group in Abu Dhabi. He is survived by his wife, Rahima, and their children, Samina, Amina, and Salva.
