With the passing of writer, journalist and teacher S. Muthiah, good old Madras has lost its favourite son. His weekly column in
The Hindu, about the past of this great city, was an eye-opener. His minute detailing made understanding the history of Madras a joy.
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai
We have lost a great historian and one who successfully campaigned for the restoration of heritage buildings in Chennai. I once told him that he was a one-man army in his chosen field, and he just smiled. There was aesthetic excellence in his descriptions, and his documentation of Chennai’s history will remain unparalleled. Once during ‘Madras Week’, I remember the film critic, Randor Guy, saying that he had to be careful about names or else he was sure to have S. Muthiah question him.
R. Soundararajan,
Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu
There is now a deep void in the chronicling of the city’s heritage. While preparing for a ‘Madras Day’ quiz during my school days, I visited his home to get my copy of Madras Rediscovered autographed. He took keen interest if youngsters wanted to learn their local history. His legacy will never fade.
Adrian David,
Chennai
The sights and smells of the vibrant city of Madras always came alive in the writings of S. Muthiah, who was a chronicler par excellence and one of the very few who knew the city’s hoary history like the back of his hand. His writings covered a wide canvas and were noted for deep-rooted research. The Hindu provided a perfect platform for the writer.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
It is a great loss especially for lovers of history, of Madras city and of cricket. Perhaps the University of Madras should create a chair in history in S. Muthiah’s name.
Dr. M.B. Pranesh,
Coimbatore