Demise of a scholar

Thampu Kanagaratnam was a different kind of Tamil scholar. He was different in that he was not only a Pulavar (meaning a scholar with poetic sensibilities) in his own language but also proficient in six other languages other than his mother tongue which was Thamil.

He was a linguist in knowing Sinhala, Sanskrit, Paali, Hindi, Malayalam and English. Such a man from Yaalpaanam and who lived most of his 86 years in Colombo passed away on February 19, 2013. He was is a Traditional Grammarian in Tamil writing useful articles on how Tamil should be written and spoken in newspapers and magazines like Sengkathir that comes from Maddakkkalppu. But he also tried to get himself updated in contemporary writing.

This can be seen in his attempt to translate some stories in Sinhala into Thamil. These translations appeared in a book titled Sethu Bandanam.

We learn that he had translated several fictions, folklore, Jataka Stories from Sinhala into Tamil and vice versa. He has also written 10 books and songs for children

His book on Comparative Study of Sinhala and Tamil Literature was eagerly awaited. A Reader & Exercise Book for Sinhala students to learn Tamil through Sinhala medium was very useful to such students. He has reportedly written 40 Text Books in Thamil. Pulavar T Kanagaratnam volunteered to write articles in Tamil on Buddhist themes and compared some Sinhala works with ancient Tamil works in the Annuals of trilingual publication published during the Vesak.

He was a respected, erudite scholar admired by the Tamil and Sinhala traditionalists and also by young media people for his authentic explanations on the use of language in the correct manner.

He was not a mere Pandithaya or Pandithar but a graduate (B A) of the London University and a 1st Class Trained Bala Pandit. For his B A degree he had offered Thamil, Sanskrit and Paali.

Considering his versatility he was appointed as the Head of the Tamil Text Book Committee of Educational Publications Department.

He retired from the Sri Lanka Educational Service and Editor (Thamil) of Educational Publications Department.

He continued to serve the students and public by being a visiting lecturer in Tamil for SLIDA, BCS / BMICH, KDA. His wife, now slightly unwell, had been a batch mate of my wife at Peradeniya University in the late 1950s and she had been well acquainted with T K having worked with him in some institutions like the then CDC and later the NIE.

He was also an honorary assistant secretary of the Kolumbu Tamil Sangam. He had 17 years of teaching experience government schools. Since 1980 he has lectured at various places including the Colombo University Workers Education Program and Institute of Indigenous Medicine.

In 1992 he was awarded the appellation Tamil Mani by Hindu Religious and Cultural Department.

He has given several talks on varied subjects over the radio and TV.

He has participated in many International Tamil Conferences, Seminars and read Research Papers.

He had also been Scouts Commissioner and many more achievements to his credit stand.

Indeed it’s a loss that people with such credentials are disappearing from our country. The connecting links between tradition and modernity are becoming narrow narrower.

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