Writer Sujatha is dead
Eminent Tamil writer S. Rangarajan, popularly called by his feminine pen name Sujatha, died in the city late on Wednesday night. He was 73.
He is survived by his wife and two sons, who are software engineers.
Sujatha was admitted to Apollo Hospital a fortnight ago. Doctors said he died of multiple organ failure. The writer was suffering from severe diabetes and had undergone a bypass heart surgery.
A versatile writer of short stories, novels, screenplays and dialogues, Sujatha pioneered science fiction in Tamil. In fact, the genre owes his existence in Tamil to Sujatha.
His ability to explain science in simple terms to lay readers was unparalleled. He brought freshness to Tamil writing on diverse subjects like archaeology, astrophysics, biotechnology and ancient Tamil literature.
Sujatha wrote about 100 novels and 200 short stories. His columns in well-known Tamil journals like Ananda Vikatan and Kumudam were widely read. He was editor of Kumudam for sometime.
Sujatha’s novel Srirangathu Devathaigal (Angels of Srirangam) was a famous series based on the life in the temple town in the 1950s.
His short stories Kakida Sanghilgal (Paper Chains) brought out the emotions of a family drama.
Sujatha wrote the screenplay and dialogues for Rajnikanth-starrer Sivaji and under-production film Dasavatharam featuring Kamal Haasan in 10 roles. He also wrote the story for Kandukonden Kandukonden, the critically acclaimed Tamil film directed by Rajiv Menon.
Himself an electronics engineer from IIT-Madras, Sujatha was General Manager (Research and Development) in BEL and instrumental in designing the Electronic Voting Machines extensively used in Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
A couple of decades ago when there was suspicion about the fool-proof nature of the EVMs, Sujatha took great pains to explain the efficacy of the machines.
(Rewritten with PTI inputs)
we miss u sir.hearty condolences to mrs sujatha and family
s its true writer sujatha passed away its a very great loss to the fans of him……….. i owe him for ever
Very hard to believe that Sujatha Passed away. We missed Tamil vetran who wrote for us. His literary works live for ever.
Tamil Literary world lost one of his great son, Multi faceted personality Engineer by Profession at heart he is story teller with Punch.
My condoloences to his family.
Oh my God….
Its unbelievable….
His fans all over the world are going to miss him a lot. As of now, i haven’t seen this news anywhere else…Hope this news is FALSE
we miss you a lot.it is a big loss for tamil world and science lovers.
May his soul rest in peace !!
Sujatha inspiried all, he has diverse facets and inspired diverse people. His candid way of writing about the things written by normal beings in a confused way gave him and his readers a separate identity. I am one of awful readers of his writings. From notes on biography, practical life, infactuation, jokes, science, unmatured love and unknown things & thinking, all his fortes.
May his clan spread more to inspire tamil society and deliver the results.
Hard to believe Mr.Sujatha is no more.
I vividly remember my meeting with him in a book fair.
His ‘Silicon sillu pratchi’ and articles on sattellites are unforgettable to me.
His writings only inspired my reading habbit
I am at loss of words
A simple great man indeed.
My condolences to his family.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE
This is so sudden and indigestible. LazyGeek had a post a little while ago about his illness. But he seemed so fit for 70.
Just as I expected, LG has shut down his 2 blogs in mouring.
My heart felt condolences to his famiy .
Just a small correction to be pointed out
He graduated from MIT-chromepet not IIT-Madras
Our deepest condolences to the family of Sujatha.
We miss the upcoming film Robot.
Our heartfelt condolences to the family.
He was such a Great writer.A whole generation which grew up reading his books, are surely going to miss him.
Our heartfelt condolences to the family.
He was such a Great writer.A whole generation which grew up reading his books, are surely going to miss him.
The tamil literature world has lost its modern world nemesis.
Deep condolences
A legend – a great writer – a good scientist – he made himself dearer to a lot of young (and old) people. Read Jeyamohans eulogy in his blogsite.
Its a sad news indeed. My heartfelt condolences
May his sole rest in peace..sureley we miss you sir
I am shocked and saddened at the passing away of one of the most contemporary and eminent writers of tamil, the incomparable Sujatha. His style was so unique that no one ever could even think of imitating him. A man of extraordinary talents and diverse interests – Sujatha will for ever be remembered by his Tamilians throughout the world in general and his fans in particular
It is a great loss to tamil lovers.
ALWAYS YOU ARE GREAT. WE ARE SURELY MISS YOU SIR. OUR DEEP CONDOLENCES.
I cant believe this! What a shocking news. We are gonna miss him forever. What an amazing writer he is ( I still cant write what an amazing writer he was)
Very very shocking news. Even yesterday night i was enjoying the story "Aah".
No one can write like Sujatha who taught science in an easy way.
We miss you.
Sujatha’s simple way of explanations on astrophysics was really amazing, especially in tamil. My interest on physics was kindled by his writings in ‘Ean,edharku,eppadi’ in vikatan. He had an unique combination of writing ability and abundance of knowledge in science & technology.Apart from his assocaition with cine industry, his work on designing Electronic Voting Machine is unforgettable.
May his soul rest in peace.
A writer par excellence! It is difficult to believe that the man who helped generations of readers understand and appreciate scientific concepts is no more. I would for ever remain wonderstruck at his ability to write about science as well as sangam literature with equal felicity. In Tamil writing, science means Sujatha and Sujatha means science. From now on for Tamil readers life won’t be the same again – who would write ‘Katrathum Kettathum’. Mr ujatha, I would miss you for ever.
Great loss to the world of Tamil literature world!
By the way I think he was not from IIT chennai but from MIT chennai
Great loss to the world of Tamil literature world!
By the way I think he was not from IIT chennai but from MIT chennai
its a shocking news for me.
i felt……….what to say??????
iam now seeing and touching my sujatha"s collection of his creatives.
he is my role model.
not to myself, but for many ones.
good bye sujatha sir……….(myself with tearful eyes)
We had missed a teacher who teaches science with ease . He had reduced the virtual valley which always exsiisted between technology and real life.
Sujatha…you’ll be missed :-(
Very very shocking news.
No one can write like Sujatha who taught science in an easy way.
We miss you.
Dear Sir,
You will be missed for ever. We owe him a lot and personally i felt i lost somebody from my family.
Thank you sir for all your contributions to us.
This is a very big loss for Tamil literature world. I never knew Science/Physics was so easy to understand until i read his "en, etharku, eppadi." Whenever I read vasanth & Ganesh in ur novels, sir, I am going to miss u……
This is great loss to tamil literature intolerable.
He was a star writer in Tamil Media.
His style of writing and story telling is excellent.
he is role model for most of his next generation
writers.
his all work are excellent.Surly remembered by
coming generations also.
I prey god his soul rest in peace.
SHOCKED & STILL HARD TO BELIEVE. WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO REALISE THAT WE HAVE REALLY LOST HIM. MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY.
very sad news. He took science to layman. We will miss him. May his soul rest in peace.
My father worked with him for a short period of time. He would narrate his experience and time spent with the great writer.
I recall Sujatha wrote about his father’s demise in the first page of Kumudam a few years back. It was so touching that I felt like crying.
He was a genius and a versatile personality.
He will be missed greatly. May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to his family.
D. Chandramouli from Jakarta
It is a great loss for the Indian nation as a whole as Sujatha sir is one of the best writer who brought the understanding of science to a common man…I will pray god for him to rest in peace.
we miss you sir,
i inspired a lot from your writtings. I developed my self by the inspration from Ganesh & Vasnth.
you are my god father like Angel.
you are not dead,you living with us in our memorys
we miss you sir,
i inspired a lot from your writtings. I developed my self by the inspration from Ganesh & Vasnth.
you are my god father like Angel.
you are not dead,you living with us in our memorys
May his soul and rest and peace
Sujatha sir,
You will be missed by all book & film lovers.
I am not sure whether we will get to see such a brilliant person in our life.
May your soul rest in peace with the lord of srirangam.
R.Vijay
May his sole rest in peace..sureley we miss you vetaran…
As long as written word exists, Sujatha will live indelibly in the minds of readers.
It is a great loss to the Tamil world. Sujatha Sir, you only brought the literature to the each and every tamil house with versatile presentations and made a good number of people to love reading books. Nobody is here to console since everybody is crying. May the Almighty give us strength to bear the shock. My heartfelt condolences to his family members.
Very very shocking news.
We will miss two great Lawyers Ganesh and Vasant along with you.
What a MAN he was !! the way he explains any damn thing.. be it relativity or be it the operation in his eye that he went through.. just too gud.. inspires one to widen his knowledge base.. could anyone forget the dialogues of "AYUTHA EZHUTHU" ??? We Salute you, Sir. It’s a true honor to say that you lived in our time..
Sreerangathu Devadaiye !
Ithanai seekkiramai aeno
Devalogam sendraai ?
Its a huge loss to Tamil literature and upcoming tamil writers. Words cannot measure his works in Tamil.
May his soul rest in peace and my Condolences to his family
i couldn’t believe this.we r at a grt loss.avarudaiya eluthukkalthan ennai puthagam padikka thoondiyathu.vikatan la inime avarudaiya katturaikal varuthunnu ninaithu parkave kastama irukku.katrathum ,petrathum….en?ettharku?eppadi?
i couldn’t contraol my self.he s soo close to me thru his writings.the one men in my life whom i met and got an autograph.the man i admire the most..sujatha,were r u??
I started reading Ananda Vikatan and Kumudam for his writings…That much influence he has in his readers…One can remember each story of Srirangathu Devadaigal after years..One of my inspiration is no more..:(
Sir…May your soul rest in peace…
Hereafter we won’t be able to read Katradhum Petradhum in Vikatan… No one will be sending their poems to your house. Unforgettable lose for us in the year of 2008
………………. no……….. I cant believe it. I cant imagine the tamil literature world without Sujatha………..
Our heart felt condolence to his family.
May his Soul Rest in Peace.
Heartfelt condolences to a writer, entertainer and extraordinary story teller.
His female pseudonym tells us a story – that even female NAMES sell faster.
Even ‘Sujata’ might not even have dreamed of the drama of modern day extremist feminism. So I do not want to be provoked into a debate on this, Ela.
Its unbelievable…..Heard the same over the radio in the morning. He is one of the great writers whom Tamilians are going to miss.May his soul rest in peace.
A sad loss indeed for us! Wish his family the courage to face this huge loss and move forward!
DEAR SIR WE MISS U LOT .YOU ARE A GREAT WRITER IN TAMIL .WE LEARN LOT OF SCIENCE FROM YOUR BOOK.AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE ENJOIED YOUR COMEDY SENCE FROM
YOUR WRITING. I THINK GOD HAVE SOME SPECIAL DOUPTS ABOUT SCIENCE THATS WHY GOD INVITE YOU.
DEAR SIR WE MISS U LOT .YOU ARE A GREAT WRITER IN TAMIL .WE LEARN LOT OF SCIENCE FROM YOUR BOOK.AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE ENJOIED YOUR COMEDY SENCE FROM
YOUR WRITING. I THINK GOD HAVE SOME SPECIAL DOUPTS ABOUT SCIENCE THATS WHY GOD INVITE YOU.
Sujatha did not skip his evening walks at Marina. He could be often sighted in the Saravana Bhavan, next to AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam in Radhakrishnan Salai at around 05.30 PM enjoying his snacks and coffee in the self service counter. Katradhum Petradhum in Ananda Vikatan took him to a different plane in his writings. He indicated his health conditions in a subtle manner once or twice in this serial in Ananda Vikatan. Some episodes were touching about his father getting him a cycle while he lived at Sri Rangam
We will miss you Sujatha Sir. Till last you did not reveal the Mexico Naattu Salavaikari Joke
Dear Sujatha Sir,
We learned a lot from your writings. I personally feel that i have lost one of my Teacher. We will miss you a lot. You will be with us in your writings. Good bye Sujatha sir and thanks a lot for Guiding us so far.
With Tears.
Raj
I felt like i lost a family member of mine – Send some thing from heaven to readers like us as used to do. Hats offff to you young lad for being with us
"k"
It is very heartrending to learn the sudden demise of writer par excellence Sujatha.Just as Malgudi for R.K.Narayan, Srirangam is for Sujatha. He made the temple town very popular by his inimitable style of writing.Anyone who is brought up in Srirangam will understandably agree with him about all the nuances and the descriptions made about the town. He invariably transported to that holy place all those who grew up there by his amazing writing skill.
Sujatha may have gone but he left his imprint in the pages of history by his short stories, novels etc.
one of his admirers,
Sudharsanam
We miss you sir. Our heartfelt condolences to the family.
i am Shocked and speechleess… still unbeleivable .. a real loss for tamil litrature and film industry ..no one can replace his place .. we have lost our living encyclopedia . my heart condolences for all his fans around the world and his family ……. Now its our responsibility to take his writing to the upcoming generations… we miss u sujatha sir….
Sujatha was a genius with a touch of mastery in both fiction and non fiction.He was an ardent admirer of traditional literature,a keen observer of modern writings and a creator homself.He was able to introduce the best from both the planes and his Kanayaaziyin kadaisi pakkangal.Katradhum Petradhum were all never before contributions.
He had a very subtle sense of humour and Srirangathu Kadhaigal are best examples for it.
It is unfortunate that he was not recognised with notable awards for his contributions.
May his soul rest in peace
Very shocking …..
It’s an uncompensatable miss to the literary society. No doubt that he is the man who inculcated the habit of reading is a must for all tamil people. " A writer will never die and he will live in the hearts of readers for ever ". Genious Rangarajan is a great example for this saying. Let the almighty give courage to his family to live without him.
Mr Sujatha
On behalf of your fans Accept our Royal Salute. Sir, we want you again.Is there any chance?
Mr Sujatha
On behalf of your fans Accept our Royal Salute. Sir, we want you again.Is there any chance?
It is a great loss to all tamil knowing public.One of the greatest tamil writers, a very intelligent person who can write about any subject in easily understandable language.name the subject he has not touched. A man full of energies. A fore runner in tamil novels and writing. A person whose humourous writings have delighted millions. It is really an irreparable loss.
Condolences to his family!
Its very very shocking news. He was still young in heart and he was able to read the pulse of all the age groups. His style of writing is marvellous and make you think. I miss you. May your soul rest in peace. Future generation will miss you a loooooooot.
Aanand and Nishanthan, Sujatha has stopped reading Chennai metroblog after his death. So he won’t be able to read your ‘writtings’.
dear sujatha sir, all our family members are ur fans,we were not able to digest that,u are no more.Few days back while browsing "meaning of my name ..sujatha,i found some one wrote sujatha means suka jathakar who lives with comforts and happiness.It is 200% true. U have not only lived comfortably and happily but also,thro ur beautiful writings you made ur fans all over the world happy,and by working as brain of the voting machine u have made easy the work of election commission,and made even the illiterate voters feel the happinees and pride of operating such a modern device which was not possible some decades back.So i can say ,.u r not only suka jathakar u r the suka-provider,as such i can call u kaliyuga
karna or paari vallal,more over in hindi jatha means one who goes,su-jatha = suk gaya NOW u have departed,
so i feel suk hum se door chala gaya,means our happiness OR sukam engallai vittu vegu dooram sendru vittadhu.Our Pranams to u sir.
prasanna santhi . dubai.
IRREPLACEABLE AUTHOR
NOBODY BEFORE AND NOBODY AFTER
YOU ARE MY CHELLAM DAA
I am sad Sujatha is no more. I grew up reading tamil works by him and later on learning many other topics which were otherwise not available in such simpler manner. Tamil literature owes him a lot as he knew the style and content to keep younger generation interested in tamil. Only last week I was reading his article on Viktan’s valentine day issue. Will miss him a lot.
My sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family.
DEAR SUJATHA SIR,
YOU ARE BHARATHI-NO.2.
HOW?
1. SUCH A MULTIFACETED PERSONALITY.
2. WHICH FIELD YO DID NOT TOUCH? STORY, POETRY, MUSIC, SPORTS, SATIRE, SCIENCE, DRAMA,HUMOUR, NATIONALISM …
3. YOU FOUGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE SUCH AS BRIBERY.
4. YOU LIKED AND IDENTIFIED TALENTED FELLOW TAMIL WRITERS.
I DARE TO SAY YOU ACHIEVED MORE THAN BHARATHI. BHARATHI WAS RECOGNIZED AFTER HIS DEATH. BUT, YOU WERE RECOGNIZED DURING YOUR WHOLE WRITING CAREER.
YOU WERE (ARE) A BRILLIANT SOUL.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE RARE PERSONS WHO COULD MAKE A FAN CRY EITHER WHEN YOU WERE ALIVE OR EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DEAD.
I HAVE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS MY SORROW. I FEEL THE SAME SADNESS WHEN MY FATHER DIED.
HE USED TO TELL ME THAT YOU WERE HIS JUNIOR IN ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE.
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE.
MY SALUTES TO YOU.YOUR NAME IS CARVED IN GOLD IN TAMIL LITERATURE.
- A.G. ANANTHASUBRAMANIA SARMA
DEAR SUJATHA SIR,
YOU ARE BHARATHI-NO.2.
HOW?
1. SUCH A MULTIFACETED PERSONALITY.
2. WHICH FIELD YO DID NOT TOUCH? STORY, POETRY, MUSIC, SPORTS, SATIRE, SCIENCE, DRAMA,HUMOUR, NATIONALISM …
3. YOU FOUGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE SUCH AS BRIBERY.
4. YOU LIKED AND IDENTIFIED TALENTED FELLOW TAMIL WRITERS.
I DARE TO SAY YOU ACHIEVED MORE THAN BHARATHI. BHARATHI WAS RECOGNIZED AFTER HIS DEATH. BUT, YOU WERE RECOGNIZED DURING YOUR WHOLE WRITING CAREER.
YOU WERE (ARE) A BRILLIANT SOUL.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE RARE PERSONS WHO COULD MAKE A FAN CRY EITHER WHEN YOU WERE ALIVE OR EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DEAD.
I HAVE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS MY SORROW. I FEEL THE SAME SADNESS WHEN MY FATHER DIED.
HE USED TO TELL ME THAT YOU WERE HIS JUNIOR IN ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE.
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE.
MY SALUTES TO YOU.YOUR NAME IS CARVED IN GOLD IN TAMIL LITERATURE.
- A.G. ANANTHASUBRAMANIA SARMA
DEAR SUJATHA SIR,
YOU ARE BHARATHI-NO.2.
HOW?
1. SUCH A MULTIFACETED PERSONALITY.
2. WHICH FIELD YO DID NOT TOUCH? STORY, POETRY, MUSIC, SPORTS, SATIRE, SCIENCE, DRAMA,HUMOUR, NATIONALISM …
3. YOU FOUGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE SUCH AS BRIBERY.
4. YOU LIKED AND IDENTIFIED TALENTED FELLOW TAMIL WRITERS.
I DARE TO SAY YOU ACHIEVED MORE THAN BHARATHI. BHARATHI WAS RECOGNIZED AFTER HIS DEATH. BUT, YOU WERE RECOGNIZED DURING YOUR WHOLE WRITING CAREER.
YOU WERE (ARE) A BRILLIANT SOUL.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE RARE PERSONS WHO COULD MAKE A FAN CRY EITHER WHEN YOU WERE ALIVE OR EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DEAD.
I HAVE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS MY SORROW. I FEEL THE SAME SADNESS WHEN MY FATHER DIED.
HE USED TO TELL ME THAT YOU WERE HIS JUNIOR IN ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE.
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PEACE.
MY SALUTES TO YOU.YOUR NAME IS CARVED IN GOLD IN TAMIL LITERATURE.
- A.G. ANANTHASUBRAMANIA SARMA
we miss you too much..
who will come as you again to fill that place …
May God rest your sol in peace…
sujatha- nee oru sarithiram
silicon ulagin sillupurachiye
adutha nootraandin maaberum sirpiye
kanuvuth tholirchalai moolam palar kanavugalai uruvakkiya brahmane
nee katradaiyum petradaiyum ulaginukku vaari
kodutha vallale
en eniya iyandhirathin indirane
poonai kuttigalan pulikuutiye
appa nee anaivarukkum anbulla appave
sree rangathu devadhaigalin nayagane-rangarajane
oru vigyana paravaiye
manithan oor neerkumilzi thanena nirubika
melum,
eraivan irukkiraara? ena aaaraya
vaasagargalagiya engalin
karpanaikkum appal nee sendraayo?
eraivan edutha avatharangalo paththu than
anal
nee eduthavaiyo aaraalam aaraalam
thamilargalagiye engalin thalzpanindha vanakkangalai
un paadhrra vindhathil samarpikkirom,
avaiyaavum aatrukkol
saagavaram petra saadhaga patchiye
nee enderendrum sarithira nayagane.
prasanna
dubai
Very sad to hear about the demise of Sujatha. He was quite an inspiring personality. Rest in peace.
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