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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New Delhi, Nov 21: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday launched the Karnataka Milk Federation's (KMF) Nandini brand milk products in the Delhi-NCR market, pricing them marginally lower than competitors to gain a foothold in the region.

The cooperative will retail four cow milk variants, curd, and buttermilk from Friday, with competitive pricing that undercuts established players like Mother Dairy and Amul.

Cow milk will be sold at Rs 56 per litre, full Cream Milk at Rs 67 per litre, Standardised Milk at Rs 61 per litre, Toned Milk at Rs 55 per litre, and curd at Rs 74 per kg.

"We have surplus milk in the state. KMF along with Mandya Milk Union will market surplus milk of 3-4 lakh litres per day in Delhi-NCR," Siddaramaiah told reporters after launching the products.

The federation currently collects 100 lakh litres of milk daily, with local consumption at 60 lakh litres, leaving a surplus of 40 lakh litres for expansion into new markets.

However, the Chief Minister acknowledged the challenges of transporting milk over 2,500 km, which takes 50-54 hours.

There is a need to find new markets for surplus milk and gradually the KMF should be able to sell 5-6 lakh litres per day in Delhi-NCR, he added.

KMF Chairman LBP Bheemanaik assured that milk quality would be maintained during transit.

The federation has already partnered with 40 dealers in the Delhi-NCR region to facilitate sales, he added.

With a robust infrastructure of 26.76 lakh milk producers, 15,737 dairy cooperative societies, and 15 district milk unions, KMF has a turnover of Rs 25,000 crore and exports dairy products to over 25 countries.

State Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh and Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy were present at the product launch.