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Wednesday, 7 April 2010

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Multifaceted Nithi makes music too

Influenced by the Pop music scene in the West, a group of Lankan young people got together to popularize Tamil songs in a way deviating from the classical and folk modes. Critics then thought that Tamil popular music has come to stay in Lanka. But it was not to be as it was short-lived. And yet it encouraged many young people to perform differently even though based on Tamil film songs.

Back to Niththi Kanagaratnam. His first appearance as a Pop singer was at the Thinakaran (our sister paper) Festival in 1967. He exhibited his talents as a singer, lyricist, composer and a guitarist. He remains a singer for the past 43 years. He told us two weeks back that he had sung in Tamil films produced in India, mentioning films like Panthayam, London Maapillai and Kandaen Seethaiyai. He has six albums of music to his credit.

Studying in the English medium in Yaalpaanam (Jaffna) and Colombo mainly in the science stream taught for sometime in Central College and Ooraavathurai (Kayts) St. Anthony’s College science subjects. That was during 1966-67. Then he joined the then Hardy Technical Institute in Amparai specializing in Botany and qualifying with a degree in Agriculture. Later he obtained his Masters degree.

Essential info
* Skilled: singer, lyricist, composer and guitarist
* Influenced by the West Pop music scene
* Composed and sung the first Tamil pop song Chinna Maamiye
* First appearance as a pop singer was at the Thinakaran Festival, 1967
* Fellow musicians were Rukmani Devi, Indrani Perera, Mohideen Beig and Clarence Wijeratne
* Lyrics are themed on love and family relationships

He told us that he is interested in multidisciplinary studies and music was one of his interests.


Nithi Kanagaratnam performing abroad

When he was young he used to visit Christian churches to hear music and also attended Saiva (Hindu) Thevaram Pannisai (devotional hymns) classes in Jaffna. Beginning from his 10th year he was absorbingly interested in music. Enjoying reading poetry in Tamil he made attempts to compose music for them and even vocalized those lyrics.

“I learned to write lyrics, compose tunes and sing those in my spare time,” he said. He could even draw and paint at a young age, he prided himself. However he admits that he has not learned music in a scientific sense but could understand the nuances of musical notes by hearing only.

In 1965 he entered the music world in English. He claims that he has sung with the late Rukmani Devi. Guitar was an instrument he tried to master playing. In countries abroad he plays the guitar and sing. In the west he puts himself as a singer of western ‘pop’ music, he underscored.

He is thankful to fellow musicians and singers for the support they give him. That include the late Rukmani Devi, Indrani Perera, Clarence Wijeratne, Claude Fernando (who composed music for Nith’s lyrics), the late Mohideen Beig, Papa Miskin and not forgetting the Lankan Tamilian pop singers in the calibre of A. E. Manoharan (who popularized the evergreen Sinhala song: Surangani - in Indian Tamil films), Kalavathy Chinnasamy, Rajendran, Sathiyamoorthy, Muthalagu (who is a popular singer in Sinhala as well) and the famous duo Parameas-Kones from Thirkoanamalai (Trincomalee) Nithi Kanagaratnam informs that so far he has composed music for 33 of his own lyrics and sung 24 of them in public performances. His lyrics speak of love and family relationships he explained. He did not have the opportunity to sing songs written by others in his musical career of 43 years.

He recalls that when ’Pop’ Music came into the scene in Tamil Stanley Sivananthan, A E Manoharan, Amuthan Annamalai, S Ramachandran, Emmanuel and K S Balachandran were in the forefront with him. He pays tribute to the Tamil Commercial Service of the Radio Lanka for popularizing Lankan Tamil Pop Music.

He mentions the names of some presenters of that period- B H Abdul Hameed (he is now internationally known host in Tamil Musical programs the world over both on stage and the TV), Nadarajasivam (head of a Tamil private radio), Puvanalojini Nadarajasivam, Mylvaganam Sarvananda, Ramadas (popular actor and producer of plays in Tamil for stage and radio), Appukutty Rajagopal (now in U K) and Kumar Kanagaratnam (electronic engineer) He opines the Sinhala Pop Music scene has reached a high degree of sophistication and music all over the world has assumed new dimensions with modern electronic devices. “In my time we didn’t have such facilities” he regrets. He advises that the world is just one entity and spiritual inclination could gorge unity amongst us.

Presently Nithi Kanagaratnam lives in Australia and is engaged in researching in Etymology on the roots of Tamil words in the Pacific Ocean area. He wants to write a thesis to an Indian University on the subject.

He is writing a book on scientific terms the culinary art of the Tamilians. Although he is engaged in the field of agriculture in Australia, he is also an associate professor pharmaceutical medicine for the past 16 years in the Victoria University, he told us.

He has visited Lanka after six years and his mission has been in regard to spiritual engagements he said. He wants to know at first hand the problems in education, health and social matters with a view to help our people. Nithi Kanagaratnam has travelled widely in foreign countries. Maybe he could be of use in our country if he decides to come back for good.

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