Documenting writer who propagated Bharati’s works

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Bharati's wife Chellamma (sitting third from left) and Thiruloga Seetharam (standing second from right).
Bharati’s wife Chellamma (sitting third from left) and Thiruloga Seetharam (standing second from right).

It offers glimpses of a school dropout who inspired a generation of writers.

Former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, once described Thiruloga Seetharam as a poet, editor and Bharati scholar and another Athisaya Manithar of Akkirakaram (wonder man of Agraharam) . The DMK founder had earlier given the title to freedom fighter and writer Va. Ramasamy.

Now, a documentary on Seetharam explains how he used music as a form to propagate the songs of Subramania Bharati.

The documentary, Thiruloga Seetharam Enkira Aalumai , by writer Ravi Subramaniam offers glimpses into a life of a school dropout who later inspired a generation of writers. Seetharam would mono act the entire Panchali Sabatham.

Even though Va. Ramasamy, communist leader P. Jeevanandam, Thiruloga Seetharam and Jayakanthan popularised the songs of Bharati, Seetharam declared himself the adopted son of Bharati’s widow Chellamma.

“When he learnt Chellamma was not well, he immediately left his family to take care of her. He served her for three months. Lying on his lap, she breathed her last,” said T.N. Ramachandaran, a disciple of Seetharam and an expert on Sekkizhar, the author of Periyapuranam.

Seetharam was forced to work as a purohit to earn a livelihood after the death of his father.

He learnt Tamil and poetry from Andhakakavi Ramasamy Padayachi, a visually challenged scholar in Thondamanthurai in Tiruchi.

He had to read out literary works to his teacher and in the process learnt by heart thousands of poems.

As the editor of the literary magazine Sivaji, he encouraged young writers and Sujatha’s first short story appeared in the magazine.

Late Tamil writer T. Janakiraman once said three writers — Ku.Pa. Rajagopalan, Na. Pitchamurthy and Seetharam — whose mother tongue was Telugu made immense contribution to the development of modern Tamil literature. He also translated into Tamil, Nobel laureate Hermann Hesse’s Siddartha.

Though a nationalist, he maintained a close relationship with Bharathidasan and even mobilised funds to provide financial assistance.

He would render Bharathidasan’s Kudumba Vilakku set to music.

“I am yet to come across a person who could excel in poetry reading,” said writer Ashokamitran, who had attended Seetharam’s poetry reading sessions.

He always faced a financial crisis.

Once when Bharati’s daughter Thangamma Bharati asked him whether the situation had improved, Seetharam said, “Of course. Once I struggled for five rupees and ten rupees and now I am struggling for fifty and hundred,’” he quipped.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> City> Chennai / by B. Kolappan / Chennai – January 01st, 2015

Ashwin is ICC’s No. 1 Test bowler, first Indian since Bedi’s feat in 1973

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R. Ashwin. Photo: K. Murali Kumar / The Hindu
R. Ashwin. Photo: K. Murali Kumar / The Hindu

In a double whammy, the Tamil Nadu captain also ended 2015 as top-ranked Test all-rounder.

Star India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has ended 2015 as the No. 1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings issued on Thursday on the back of his strong showing against South Africa in the recent home series.

Ashwin, who took 62 wickets in nine Tests this year including 31 scalps in the four matches against South Africa, became the first India bowler since Bishen Bedi in 1973 to achieve the milestone of finishing the year on top.

In fact, Bedi, an ICC Hall of Famer, is the only India bowler to ever top the Test bowling table, while Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble peaked at number-two during their careers.

Ashwin achieved the number-one spot for first time in his career after injury prevented South African Dale Steyn from bowling more than 3.5 overs in England’s second innings in the Durban Test.

Steyn had started the Durban Test leading Ashwin by four points and now trails the India off-spinner by the same margin. Even though the fast bowler bagged four wickets in the first innings, these were not enough for him to end the year as the number-one ranked bowler for the sixth time since 2009.

Ashwin’s successful season was reflected in his ranking after he started the year in 15th position and slowly but surely moved to the top of the chart.

In a double whammy, the 29-year-old also ended the year as top-ranked Test all-rounder.

“Finishing the year as the number-one ranked Test bowler is like an icing on the cake that I have managed to build over the past last 12 months. I always wanted to get there one day. There can’t be a better way to finish the 2015,” Ashwin said, reacting to the news.

“Replicating what Mr. Bedi did is something I am very proud of. The former India captain was a master at his craft and I am very humbled to follow in his footsteps.

“I would like to thank my Test captain Virat Kohli, who has been a big influence, and, of course, the team management, my team-mates and the BCCI for their continued support,” said Ashwin.

Another Indian, Ravindra Jadeja, who also had an impressive outing against the South Africans, ended the year at sixth. Ashwin and Jadeja are the only two Indians in the top 10 rankings of the Test bowlers.

Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane ended at 11th among Test batsmen and he is the only Indian in the top 20.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Cricket / PTI / Dubai – December 31st, 2015

Seacology prize winner donates 2 lakh to schoolto local school

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Madurai :

The woman from a fishing hamlet in Ramanathapuram, who won the coveted Seacology Prize from Berkeley in California, has donated one third of her prize money (2 lakh) to a local school specifying that the amount should be used to construct more classrooms and develop the playground.

The beneficiary was the Chinnapaalam Government Middle School.

M Lakshmi, 46, a seaweed collector was chosen for the prize for her contribution to the development of her community by the non-profit environment organisation, Seacology, which is committed to conserving island environments and cultures. She travelled all the way to the US to receive her prize money of $10,000, the equivalent to 6.48 lakh, on October 9 this year.

Lakshmi, also a ward member of the Chinnapaalam panchayat near the coastal town of Pamban, had never gone to school.

She started collecting seaweed at the age of seven. Then she went on to cultivate the seaweed and also educate local women on the same, using methods that did not harm the marine life in the Gulf of Mannar, where her profession was based.

According to Lakshmi, women could achieve their goals in life and become instruments of development if given higher education. “This is a small contribution with which I hope to enhance the chances of children, especially girls, in the region to pursue higher education,” she said.

Local people, who are already proud of Lakshmi for putting their tiny village on the global map, lauded her effort to help the local school.

“She is committed to developing this backward village and we will do everything possible to help her,” they said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Madurai / TNN / December 26th, 2015

Retired professor dead

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K.R. Rajagopalan, retired professor of statistics, Madras Christian College (MCC), died in the early hours of Monday. He was 90. He served the institution for more than three decades, introducing innovative methods of teaching.

He was a pioneer in conducting pre-poll opinion surveys in the early 1970s and also authored a book in Tamil on the history of Indian Mathematics ( Indhiya Ganitha Varalaru ).

On the occasion of the birth centenary of mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, he authored a biography of him. Besides Statistics, Prof. Rajagopalan was deeply interested in music and literature. His studies, on topics ranging from music to social customs, were published by the Statistics Department of MCC. He was associated with Sruti Magazine. He is survived by wife, two daughters and a son.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – December 30th, 2015