Veteran actor and Padma Shri awardee Tom Alter dies at 67

Padma Shri awardee and veteran film, television and theatre actor, director and writer Tom Alter passed away on late on Friday night after battling with stage four skin cancer. He was 67.

A native of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, Alter was bestowed with Padma Shri for his service to the field of arts and cinema.

According to media reports, a statement released on behalf of his family said, "It is with sadness we announce the death of Tom Alter, actor, writer, director, Padma Shri, and our dear husband and father. Tom passed away Friday night at home with his family and close family members in attendance. We ask for their privacy to be respected at this time."

Alter was famously known for playing the gangster Keshav Kalsi in the hit soap opera 'Junoon', which ran for a record five years during the 1990s.

Apart from acting in over 300 movies apart from numerous TV shows, he was the first person to interview Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for TV when the cricketer was yet to debut for India.

The world is a good man short this morning. Fine actor, pure sports lover and kind human being. You enriched our world #TomAlter

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 30, 2017

His death is being mourned by the Indian film fraternity.

Bollywood actress Nimrat Kaur took to Twitter and wrote, "Waking up to some tragic news about the passing away of Mr. Tom Alter. A one of a kind, grace personified, thorough gentleman. #RIPTomAlter"

Waking up to some tragic news about the passing away of Mr. Tom Alter. A one of a kind, grace personified, thorough gentleman. #RIPTomAlter

— Nimrat Kaur (@NimratOfficial) September 30, 2017

Alter's first release was Ramanand Sagar's Charas in 1976. Among his notable roles are Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Shyam Benega's Junoon, Manoj Kumar's magnum opus Kranti, Raj Kapoor's Ram Teri Ganga Maili, and Mahesh Bhatt's Aashiqui.

He also acted in several foreign films - Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' and 'One Night with the King'.