Well known fashion designer, gay rights activist and Padma Shri awardee Wendell Rodricks died on Wednesday evening following a prolonged illness.

Speaking to IANS on Wednesday Nilakanth Halarnkar, BJP MLA from the Thivim Assembly constituency and a longtime associate of the 59-year-old designer confirmed his death.

"Yes, it is true. He died at 5.45 p.m. today. He was ailing for a long time," Halarnkar said.

Family sources said that the funeral is scheduled for Thursday. The ace fashion designer's death was mourned by several Bollywood and fashion celebrities who took to Twitter to express their condolences.

Rodricks, one of the most popular fashion designers from Goa, was awarded a Padma Shri in 2014 and was also accorded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts Et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in 2015. As a designer he has been credited with reviving the Kunbi saree, worm by the indigenous Kunbi tribal women of Goa.

He was in the process of setting up a museum 'Moda Goa Museum and Research Centre' which Rodricks had dedicated to clothes and fashion in Goa through the ages.

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