Local music icon Paul Ponnudorai passed away this morning after suffering total organ failure caused by a latent infection.

The 51-year-old guitarist had begun his career in the 1980s as a club performer, before scaling the heights to perform with such luminaries of the music scene as Sudirman and Sheila Majid.

Such was his talent that TIME magazine once wrote that he may have been "quite possibly the greatest musical interpreter of our time".

The guitarist is survived by his wife, 91-year-old mother Kamalam, four brothers, three sisters, nieces, and nephews.

His funeral is scheduled for Monday.