CHENNAI: Well-known dancer and choreographer Chandralekha died of cancer at her residence here, family sources said on Sunday.

Chandralekha, 78, passed away late Saturday night.

She had been ailing for quite some time and had been discharged from a corporate hospital here a couple of days back.

A Bharatanatyam exponent, she caught the public imagination through her innovations and experiments in various dance forms.

She has bagged many honours including Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship and Kalidas Samman.