Friends, well-wishers bid final adieu to Wendell Rodricks

Hundreds gathered on Thursday to bid adieu to renowned fashion designer Wendell Rodricks, who passed away at the age of 59, at his home in Colvale village in north Goa.

A prayer meet for Rodricks, who died on Wednesday evening, was held at the St Francis de Asisi church.

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat was amongst the politicians who arrived to pay homage to the departed soul.

Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi also attended the funeral.

"He was very dear friend of mine. I will miss him a lot. It is really sad. When we went to Bhutan for the literature festival, that was the time when I really came to know him properly," the actor told reporters outside the church.

A Padma Shri award-winning designer and known for infusing modern aesthetics with traditional Goan influences, Rodricks was also an author, environmentalist and gay rights activist.

Rodricks was working on his passion project Moda Goa Museum, which is dedicated to the history of Goan costumes, and had posted about it just three days ago.

The fashion designer also made cameo appearance in the 2003 film "Boom" and television play "West" in the year 2002. He also starred as himself in Madhur Bhandarkar's film "Fashion" (2008).

Rodricks was known for pioneering the idea of resort wear and advocating eco-friendly fashion.

Prominent personalties from all walks of life such as Union ministers Smriti Irani and Shripad Naik, film directors Onir, Bhandarkar, designers Ritu Kumar, Rina Dhaka, Rahul Mishra, Samant Chauhan, actor Soni Razdan, and music composer Ehsaan Noorani condoled the death of the fashion designer.