Rangarajan alias Sujatha

Tens of stage plays. Lots of film scripts. Hundreds of novels. More than 200 short stories. Thousands of articles. Millions of fans.

One author – Rangarajan alias Sujatha.

A man who needs no introduction to my Tamil friends – wherever they are. A man, even at the ripe old age of 72, can still write in a style and manner that endears him to a teenager. The generation of the 60s and 70s grew up reading his works. My generation – the 80s – grew up loving his writing. This current generation is growing up enamored with his brilliance. I can’t think of another author who can endear himself to more than three generation of fans and continue to be as prolific and as dazzling!

Who can forget his series, ‘Srirangathu Devathaigal’ – an astounding account of his school days in small town Srirangam in the 50s – where he grew up. Every story in it, every word in it brought to the reader their memories of childhood, about the glory days gone by. I am unashamed, the hell, even proud to say that I would have read that book a thousand times. And I would continue to read it every time I wish to go back to my teens!

Sujatha was also instrumental in developing the Electronic Voting Machine in the 80s. He has also been closely associated with some of the best names in the film industry - developing scripts for them or helping them develop one.

Now, why am I talking about Sujatha here – especially this being my first post in this blog?

The genius who breathed modernity and excitement into Tamil literature, an author par excellence who made me read his books with bated breath - breathed his last, late last night.

I feel like I lost a part of me.

The least I thought I could do, was to submit this piece as a mark of respect to the man who influenced me in more ways than one.

May his soul rest in peace.