Exit Harley
I am not surprised that Harley-Davidson Inc. has pulled down its shutters. Unlike the West where citizens can afford the many luxuries in life, India is still a middle-class nation, where people will be cautious while spending their money. We are also ‘mileage conscious’ when it comes to vehicles. Finally, Indian roads, being what they are, would have caused grief to the bike.
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai
S.P. Balasubrahmanyam
It is hard to believe that the voice that has enthralled millions across the globe has fallen silent. The natural way with which SPB blended into a song will be unmatched. A down-to-earth personality, he will continue to live through his legendary songs. He was someone who unhesitatingly encouraged young singers. In combination with maestro, Ilayaraja, SPB has given this world innumerable hits.
G.B. Sivanandam,
Coimbatore
His songs in ‘Shankarabharanam’ and ‘Annamayya’ were great renderings. His Hindi songs in ‘Ek Duuje Ke Liye’ deserve special mention.
Sravana Ramachandran,
Chennai
His pain-staking efforts to match the nuances of the lyric writers, be it happiness, sadness, romance or rusticity, can never be matched. His non-stop song, ‘Materani Chinnadani’, is outstanding. His excellence in mimicry helped him sing for hero and comedian. His rendering of devotional numbers such as ‘Siva Stuthi’, ‘Viswanadha Ashtakam’, the songs in the films “Annamayya”, “Srirama Daasu” and his subtle performance in “Midhunam”, starring him and Lakshmi are evergreen.
Bhattaram Vijaya Kumar,
Nellore, Andhra Pradesh
SPB connected at least three generations who will hold him in high esteem — as a family member and a divine voice. His song, ‘Om Nama Shivayan’, spread a spirtual mood. Apart from being a prolific singer, he will always be remembered for being polite, humble and living an exemplary life.
J. Bharath,
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
SPB’s complete supremacy and dominance in Tamil playback singing will remain unsurpassed. His songs, ‘Aayirum nilave vaa’, ‘Ithu Oru Ponmalai Pozhuthu’, ‘Malare Mounama’ and ‘Sundari Kannal Oru Sethi’ will be remembered for long. In music competitions, as a judge, he would be humble to a fault and also magnanimous enough to applaud a fine performance.
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu
SPB belongs to a rare class of musicians revered and respected across India. A household name, especially in South India, new age musical shows organised under his supervision helped aspiring singers to excel.
Satish Kanaganti,
Tipparthy, Nalgonda, Telangana
India has lost a multi-faceted personality — as a playback singer, actor and dubbing artist, winning him millions of fans and admirers across the world. His ‘Padamati Sandhya Raagam’ and ‘Toorpu Velle Railu’ were soothing. His being humble always is a huge lesson for present-day youngsters.
M. Somasekhar Prasad,
Hyderabad
SPB made his mark in the Malayalam film industry too. One remembers his ‘Ee Kadalum Marukadalum’, ‘Tharapadham Chethoharam’ and ‘Nenjil Kanjabaanam’.
Alex George,
Kochi
Dean Jones
The passing of former Australian batsman and renowned commentator Dean Jones comes as a great shock. His commentary was as good as his batting. His great sense of humour will be missed.
S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Chennai
The world has lost one of the finest ODI batsmen of his generation, a colourful raconteur and an entertaining commentator. ‘Professor Deano’ brought fresh energy to the Aussie side with his creative shot-making and frenetic running between wickets.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru