Tamil Writer Sujatha Passes Away ...

Read the Tamil version of this blog here.

One of my most favourite Tamil writers passed away this week. S.Rangarajan, who wrote under his pen name of Sujatha (actually his wife's name), was a prolific writer - wrote about any and everything under the earth. His series of essays under the title 'Katrathum Petrathum' - கற்றதும் பெற்றதும் - was immensely popular.

But, I loved him for his short stories in 60s and 70s; and especially for his early essays in the literary magazine Kanaiyazhi. The ones about young boys in Srirangam learning to ride bicycles, the first time he flew a small plane, the imaginary meeting between Sujatha (the writer) and S.R.Rajan (the critic) - both are himself - are really hilarious and wonderful.

How he kept himself abreast of the latest happenings; he could still write things that were interesting and topical for the younger generation are amazing achievements. Probably, he will be remembered for his work in making science and computers the topics of discussion in the weekly Tamil magazines. One of the members of the team which invented the Electronic Voting Machine, he was first a writer before a scientist or engineer.

Even in his essay about the first trials they made of the EVMs in Kerala, he brought out the excellent human element : How people in Kerala were enthusiastic about the electronic voting machines, how a marxist political leader who opposed the introduction of these machines vehemently, won the election and thanked the team with tears in his eyes, and how he was thrilled to see a nun coming running to the demonstration site ...

And, his interpretation and explanation of Thirukkural is a wonderful piece of creativity

I will miss his writings.