CM Vijay, Stalin among leaders to condole Pappaiah’s demise

CHENNAI: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, and others on Friday condoled in the death of renowned Tamil scholar Solomon Pappaiah, recalling his contributions to the Tamil language, literature, and public life.

CM Vijay said Pappaiah had brought the richness of Tamil and the Tamils' way of life to audiences around the world through pattimandram platforms.

He said Pappaiah’s humour and deep knowledge of Tamil had enabled him to convey social ideas to people in a simple manner and credited him with transforming pattimandrams from mere entertainment programmes into platforms that encouraged thought and discussion. “His demise is an irreparable loss to the Tamil-speaking world,” Vijay said.

Former Chief Minister MK Stalin shared profound grief over the death of the veteran Tamil scholar, describing him as a proud symbol of modern-day Madurai and a beloved figure among Tamils across the world.

Stalin said Pappaiya had won the affection of Tamils worldwide with his smiling demeanour, engaging Tamil and the distinct flavour of Madurai. He said Pappaiya was an authority on classical Tamil literature, having written a commentary on the Tirukkural, devised a new sequence for the Purananuru and studied Kamban's works.

Stalin said Pappaiya had showered affection on former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and himself, and that his affection remained unchanged irrespective of whether the DMK was in power. “Whenever we met, we shared a bond of affection, with him holding my hands with a smile and warmth,” he said.

“Mother Tamil has lost one of her finest sons,” he said, offering his deep condolences and solace to Pappaiya's family, the people of Madurai and his admirers across the world.

Governor Arlekar described Pappaiah as a renowned Tamil orator, scholar, and popular exponent of pattimandrams, saying that his eloquence, wit, and profound knowledge of the Tamil language and literature had enriched public discourse and brought the richness of Tamil closer to generations.

“His unique contribution to Tamil cultural life will always be remembered. His demise is an irreparable loss to the Tamil literary and cultural world,” Arlekar said, conveying his condolences to Pappaiah’s family, admirers and followers.

School Education Minister Rajmohan described Pappaiah’s death as a great loss to the Tamil-speaking world, recalling how he took the Tamil he taught in classrooms to people across the State and beyond through pattimandrams.

“He left his distinct mark on the literary world until his final breath,” Rajmohan said, offering condolences on behalf of the Tamil Development Department to Pappaiah’s family and Tamils worldwide.

BJP leaders recalled his distinctive contributions to the Tamil language, public discourse, and the cultural life of generations of Tamils.

BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said Pappaiah had become synonymous with pattimandrams, particularly during festivals, and had earned a lasting place in the hearts of Tamils across the world through his simple Tamil, humour and thought-provoking speeches.

“His voice, views and lively delivery became an inseparable part of the festive celebrations of countless families. His death is a great loss to the Tamil world,” Nainar Nagenthran said in a statement, offering condolences to Pappaiah’s family, friends and admirers.

Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan described his death as an irreparable loss to Tamil society and recalled how people looked forward to his pattimandrams during Deepavali and Pongal.

The former governor said Pappaiah had the rare habit of preserving invitations to programmes he had attended, reflecting his respect for those who invited him. He also had a special place in taking simple, accessible Tamil into households, she said.

Tamilisai recalled her father, late Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, often mentioning that he had participated in pattimandrams with Pappaiah. She said the Padma Shri conferred on him by the Narendra Modi government was a fitting recognition of his contribution.

WTL founder K Annamalai described Solomon Pappaiah as a distinguished Tamil scholar who used pattimandrams to take socially relevant ideas to audiences worldwide.

Annamalai expressed condolences to Pappaiah’s family and prayed for his soul to rest in peace.