Remembered for his integrity, social commitment and warmth, Jaleel Ramanthaly leaves behind a lasting literary legacy and a void that many say will be difficult to fill
The Indian expatriate community in the UAE has been left deeply saddened by the passing of veteran journalist and writer Jaleel Ramanthaly, who died in Kerala on Monday at the age of 70. Born Erayath Jaleel, he was widely known by his pen name and remembered as a powerful voice of the Malayali diaspora in the Gulf.
According to reports from Kerala, Jaleel complained of chest pain in the early hours of Monday and was rushed to hospital around 2am, but doctors could not save him. He is survived by his wife, Raheema, and their children Samina, Amina and Salva.
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Jaleel spent several decades in the UAE and retired as the Abu Dhabi bureau chief of a leading Malayalam newspaper
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Over his long career, he authored more than a dozen books and regularly wrote for Malayalam publications in both the UAE and India
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His creative work also extended to television serials, documentaries, music albums and radio programmes
Among his most important contributions was a Malayalam book on the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Widely recognised as the first book on Sheikh Zayed written in an Indian language, it went through several editions and was distributed free to readers across different countries.
Even in his later years, Jaleel remained deeply committed to writing. His latest book, Pravasa Thudippukal (Pulses of Expat Life), which reflects the emotional journeys of expatriates, was released just last month.
Colleagues and community leaders recall his rise from a local stringer to bureau chief during the early days of Malayalam journalism in the UAE. His popular column Gulf Sketches, later published as a book, is still considered a valuable record of early Malayali life in the Gulf.
