Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Well-known Malayalam music director K J Joy died on Monday at his residence in Chennai, film industry sources said. He was 77 years old. Joy, known as the first 'techno musician' in the Malayalam film music world for his use of instruments like the keyboard in the 1970s, had been bedridden for some time following a stroke, the sources said.

His funeral will be held in Chennai on Wednesday, they said. The FEFKA Directors Union and Malayalam playback singer-cum-composer M G Sreekumar, condoled his death.

"My heartfelt condolences. May his soul rest in peace," Sreekumar said in his condolence message on Facebook.

Joy, born in 1946 at Nellikunnu in Thrissur district of Kerala, composed music for more than two hundred films during his decades long career in the film industry.

He made his debut in the Malayalam cinema in 1975 and since then he was the architect of many songs that captivated and enthralled people. It was Joy's experiments that led to a drastic change in the Malayalam film music scene and he also gained attention for his music direction in films starring Jayan.

He also composed many eternal youth songs, including the very hit song 'En Swaram Poovittum Ganame', that people cherish to this day.

Some of the over two hundred films he composed music for are: Ivan Ende Priyaputran, Chandanachola, Aradhana, Snehayamuna, Mukkuvane Snehicha Bhootham, Lisa Madalasa, Sayujyam, Itha Oru Theeram, Anupallavi, Sarpam, Shakti, Hridyam Padunnu, Chandrahasam, Manushya Mrigam and Karimpucha.

He had also worked as an assistant in more than 500 films for various music directors.

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Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday night and urged him to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state in view of its growing administrative and security needs.

The two leaders also discussed the recent surrender of several senior Maoist leaders before the Telangana Police and other issues.

"During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the issue of Maoist surrenders and their rehabilitation. The chief minister informed Shah that significant improvements in policing have taken place in Telangana over the past two years," an official release here said.

Highlighting that 591 Maoists have laid down their arms and joined the mainstream of society during this period, the chief minister said the state government was providing them compensation and rehabilitation assistance as per the rules.

He requested the Union home minister to extend financial support from the central government for development works in the backward regions of the state.

Reddy also urged Shah to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state from 83 to 105 in line with the state's growing administrative and security needs, the statement said.

The first cadre review after the formation of Telangana was conducted in 2016, while the next review, due in 2021, was delayed and finally carried out in 2025. Even then, only seven additional IPS officers were allocated to the state, the chief minister informed Shah and requested that the third cadre review be conducted in 2026 as per the schedule.

Reddy explained that Telangana, like the rest of the country, is facing several modern challenges, including cybercrime, drug trafficking, white-collar crimes, and other emerging security threats.

He highlighted the reorganisation of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Malkajgiri Police Commissionerates, the proposed formation of the Future City Commissionerate and the rapidly growing population in Hyderabad to underline the increasing administrative requirements of the state.