Chennai, Dec 19 (AZiNS) Ananda Vikatan group of publications chairman and film producer S.Balasubramanian died of a heart attack here Friday. He was 79.

Balasubramanian, son of famous film producer late S.S.Vasan, was groomed to take over the mantle of Gemini Studios and the publication group at an early age.

On Vasan's death in 1969, Balasubramanian headed the movie studio and the magazine publications business led by the flagship magazine "Ananda Vikatan".

Balasubramanian decided to focus on the publication business and brought out sister publications like "Junior Vikatan" and others.

A fearless Balasubramanian stood to his ground as the editor of Ananda Vikatan when the privileges committee of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly ordered his imprisonment for publishing a cartoon on the magazine's cover.

A principled man, Balasubramanian, way back in 1980s, decided not to accept advertisements for his magazine from tobacco companies.

He was instrumental in shaping up several youngsters as journalists by implementing the student reporter programme for the group publications.

His body will be kept at his residence in Poes Garden Monday for the public to pay their last respects, the Ananda Vikatan group said.