The world of botany lost a towering figure with the passing of Kattungal Subrahmanyan Manilal, universally lauded for his contributions to the field through his translations and research of the ancient Latin text, "Hortus Malabaricus." K S Manilal, as he was better known, left an indelible mark on the academic and scientific communities. He passed away at the age of 86, in a private hospital in Thrissur, Kerala on the 2nd of January, 2025.

Among the illustrious list of Padma awardees for 2020 on the eve of Republic Day, the Government of India has announced Padma Shri to Prof. Kattungal Subramaniam Manilal under Science and Engineering category. He is among the eight of 118 Padma Shri awardees under the Science and Engineering category.