Mysore/Mysuru: Dr. R. Purnima (72), Director of Children’s Literary Club, formerly Professor of English at Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) and a resident of 3rd Main Road in V.V. Mohalla, passed away in the early hours of today in city.

Daughter of late M. Ramarao and late Jayalakshmi, she leaves behind her sisters R. Prathiba and Prof. R. Indira (formerly Professor of Sociology, Mysore University) and a host of relatives and friends.

Last rites were held at Muktidhama in Vijayanagar 4th Stage this afternoon, according to family sources.

Children’s Literary Club (CLC), a Voluntary Organisation founded by Dr. Purnima in 1990, was contributing to the comprehensive development of children, especially the marginalised.

Thousands of programmes and a wide variety of workshops were conducted by the Club. Dr. Purnima had taken her programmes to Government and Government-aided Educational Institutions located across Karnataka, on a voluntary basis.

Conducting training workshops for teachers, young adults, adult students and scholars was part of the Club’s activities, for the Director firmly believed that all were children before knowledge.

Dr. Purnima had also given 501 One-Woman Shows of the play ‘Stage Chemistry: Neuro-Psychiatric Disorders on Stage.’ The play was produced by Club with Concept, Script and Direction by Dr. Purnima herself. Her last show was on Jan. 13 this year.