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Manonmaniyam P. Sundaram Pillai
Born
1855-4-4
Kuttanad, Travancore (present-day Alappuzha district, Kerala, India)


Occupation
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Manonmaniyam P. Sundaranar (4 April 1855 – 26 April 1897) was an Indian writer and scholar, noted for the famous Tamil drama Manonmaniyam.[1] as well as the state song of Tamil Nadu Tamil Thai Valthu.

Career

Sundaram showed his respect for Harvey, a Scottish Professor of Philosophy and English at The Maharaja's College, by dedicating his drama Manonmaniyam to him, and naming his farmhouse after him.[2] Together they wrote the book, Some Early Sovereigns of Travancore.

The MDT Hindu College, Tirunelveli, of which he was the first Principal, describes his works as follows:[3]

In 1885, he published Chathira Saugiragam, commonly known as Nootrogai Villakkam. He wrote and published his masterpiece Manonmaniam in 1891. In the same year, he became a member Fellow of Madras University (FMU). In 1897, Some Early Sovereigns of Travancore was published and he became a Member of Royal Asiatic Society (MRAS).Template:Citation needed

Death

He died of diabetes on 26 April 1897, at age 42. His son P. S. Nataraja Pillai served as Minister of Finance for Travancore-Cochin state from 1954–56 and was also a member of Constituent Assembly of India. He was elected to state legislative assembly of Kerala and to the Indian Parliament as a Lok Sabha member. He was politically associated with the Indian National Congress and Praja Socialist Party of India.[4]

Legacy

Manonmaniam Sundaranar University was named after him.

The 1942 cinema adaptation of Manonmani is considered a classic film.[1]

Works

  • Nūṟṟokai viḷakkam (நூற்றொகை விளக்கம்) (Tamil,1888)
  • Maṉōṉmaṇīyam (மனோன்மணீயம்) (Drama, 1891)
  • Some early sovereigns of Travancore (திருவிதாங்கூர் பண்டை மன்னர் கால ஆராய்ச்சி{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. P.S. Natarajan(1894)
  • Some Milestones in the History of Tamil Literature: Found in an Enquiry Into the Age of Tiru Gnana Sambandha{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Addison & Company(1895)
  • Tamiḻttāy vāḻttu (தமிழ்த்தாய் வாழ்த்து)

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Manonmani 1942. The Hindu(19 December 2010). Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  2. University of Glasgow :: International Story :: Robert Harvey. Internationalstory.gla.ac.uk(2011-06-16).
  3. Madurai Diraviyam Thayumanavar Hindu College, Tirunelveli. Mdthinducollegetirunelveli.org.
  4. Members Bioprofile. Retrieved 4 August 2019.

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