'Father of fiber optics' dies at 84

Charles Kao, a Nobel Prize winner dubbed the "father of fiber optics", died at 84 on Sunday, according to Hong Kong media.

Professor Kao pioneered in the development and use of fiber optics technology, bringing revolutionary changes to modern telecommunication technology, said Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam.

Kao was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 2009 for his pioneering work in fiber optics. Before he passed away, Kao battled Alzheimer's disease for years.

Kao was born in Jinshan county, East China's Jiangsu province (today's Jinshan district of Shanghai) in 1933. He studied at the University of London where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree and his PhD in electrical engineering.

Kao moved to Taiwan with his family in 1948 before migrating to Hong Kong in 1949.

He served as the third vice-chancellor of Chinese University of Hong Kong from 1987 to 1996 and was honored as foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Science in 1996.