CHENNAI: Poomani alias Pulithurai Manickavasagam, the Sahitya Akademi Award-winning writer who gave voice to rural lives especially from the arid regions of South Tamil Nadu, passed away following health complications on Sunday (July 12) night, leaving the Tamil literary world mourning the loss of one of its most influential voices. He was 79.
His mortal remains were taken from Chennai to his native Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi on Monday (July 13). Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced that the writer would be accorded full State honors during his funeral.
Poomani was celebrated for vividly portraying the lives, struggles, culture, and social realities of people from the Karisal (arid) region of southern Tamil Nadu into mainstream Tamil literature. His works were known for their authentic portrayal of rural communities, regional dialects, and historical narratives.
Among his most notable works was ‘Agnaadi’, an epic that traces the lives of marginalised communities, particularly the Pallar and Vannar communities, against the backdrop of Tamil Nadu's social and political history.
Spanning from the 19th century to the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, the novel explores caste relations, agrarian life, the rise of the matchbox industry, the conversion of Dalit communities to Christianity, and the influence of the Ettayapuram Zamindari.
Fittingly, Poomani received the Sahitya Akademi Award for the novel in 2014.
Another one of Poomani’s acclaimed work was the novel 'Vekkai', which was adapted into the Tamil film 'Asuran', directed by Vetrimaaran and starring Dhanush. The film brought wider recognition to his writing and introduced his literary works to a new generation of readers.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expressed deep sorrow over Poomani’s demise and said his writings enriched Tamil literature by reflecting the essence of Karisal soil, the lives of ordinary people, and historical truths.
The chief minister announced that the writer’s final journey would be conducted with State honours in recognition of his contribution to Tamil literature.
DMK president and former chief minister MK Stalin described Poomani as a pioneering voice of Karisal literature and praised his role in documenting regional words, culture, and social realities through his works.
DMK deputy general secretary and MP Kanimozhi also condoled his death, stating that Poomani’s five-decade-long literary journey had a lasting influence on Tamil realism and contemporary writers.