Beginning his Second Tenure as the Chief Minister by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 24, 2026 Comments from R. Kannan MGR biographer Kannan’s comments for Part 85 was received on Jan 31, 2026. These were as follows: “I read your Part 85 with interest, and as always, it excels in its research. I had met Pandian… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Sri Kantha
Notes on Reaching 70 Not Out – Part 10
Life and Learning with Six Muses by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 13, 2026 In the previous installment (Part 9), I wrote about the influence of two of my teachers (the link is https://sangam.org/notes-on-reaching-70-not-out-part-9/ But my creativity story will be incomplete, if I fail to acknowledge the sparks thrown by my six muses. Not to be… Read more »
Chelliah Rajadurai: The Rajah of Batticaloa – Part 2
by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 7, 2026 In Part 1, I presented the post-Independence electoral details of Batticaloa constituency, from 1947 to 1989. To provide context to the Tamil and Muslim ethnic distribution, what has been recorded about the Batticaloa region by pre-Independence scholars deserves notice as well. Then, I provide details about Rajadurai’s first… Read more »
From Sachi’s Files – Chapter 28
A 1985 commentary in the Nation (New York) weekly and my Unpublished Letter by Sachi Sri Kantha, March 4, 2026 Prelude In the previous posting of Chapter 27, I had inferred that the beginning of civil war in Sri Lanka should be dated to Jan 9, 1985, which resulted in the killing of LTTE’s… Read more »
Hoole Brothers Exposed in the Notorious Epstein Files
by Sachi Sri Kantha, February 9, 2026 Well! Well! Decades of moral integrity exhibited by the Hoole Brothers (Rajan and Ratnajeevan) had burst like a pricked balloon, in a recent exposure. Will you be surprised now to hear the news, where the nit-picking and nasty Hoole Brothers had landed in their quest for international recognition… Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 85
Eye Health Notes from Elite Film Stars by Sachi Sri Kantha Comments from R. Kannan For Part 84, Kannan’s comments, received on Dec 9, 2025, were as follows: “Except for a few, those close to MGR hold him in very high regard as a person. Countless individuals have noted his exceptional hospitality and helpful nature…. Read more »
Prof. Robert Sidharthan Perinbanayagam (1934-2025) – An Appreciation
by Sachi Sri Kantha, January 19, 2026 Robert Perinbanayagam was the eldest son of Handy Perinbanayagam (1899-1977), a much respected social activist, educator and journalist of the 20th century from Jaffna. I met Perinbanayagam in New York, only once, when I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. My diary notes of… Read more »
Sinhalese Intelligentsia and Dimwits I Admire and Resent
by Sachi Sri Kantha, January 6, 2026 This year marks the 25th anniversary of my current status as the honorary resident columnist of Ilankai Tamil Sangam website. For awarding this opportunity to me and giving me a free hand to write what is in my mind (which is not libel inducing), I thank the late… Read more »
Chelliah Rajadurai: The Rajah of Batticaloa – Part 1
by Sachi Sri Kantha, January 2, 2026 Chelliah Rajadurai (1927-2025), the ‘charmer’ among Eelam Tamil politicians, bid adieu on Dec 7, 2025, after a lengthy mortal life of 98 years and 5 months. He was garlanded with quite a few sobriquets, like ‘sollin chelvar’ (Wealthy in Words) and ‘Ezhil Thamil Aalar’ (The ruler of elegant… Read more »
Nobel Peace Prize Nominees and Wannabes from Sri Lanka
by Sachi Sri Kantha, February 2, 2026 In the past 125 years of its existence, unlike other countries, Sri Lanka (or it’s previous incarnation, Ceylon, until 1971) was never represented in any of the original five Nobel Prizes. But, according to the Nobel Prize nomination archives, only the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nobel Physiology/Medicine… Read more »
M.S. Subbulakshmi in the ‘Meera’ Movie‘s 80th Anniversary
by Sachi Sri Kantha, December 9, 2025 Introduction This year marks the 80th anniversary of the release of the Tamil version of the Meera movie on November 3rd 1945 in Chennai. Also, December 11th marks the 21th death anniversary of Carnatic Music diva Madurai Shanmugavadivu (M.S.) Subbulakshmi (1916-2004). It also happens to be the birthday… Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 84
Health status – A Decisive Factor by Sachi Sri Kantha, November 22, 2025 Comments from R. Kannan After nearly 12 years of email correspondence, Kannan and I met face to face on Oct 17, 2025 in Tokyo. It was a pleasurable meeting for us, and to our spouses. Kannan’s son, residing in Tokyo, was the… Read more »
Leonard Woolf– a British Jew in Colonial Jaffna
by Sachi Sri Kantha, November 17, 2025 Introduction Leonard Woolf (1880-1969) was the husband of influential British novelist Virginia Woolf nee Stepehen (1882-1941), who committed suicide. November 25th marks his 145th birth anniversary. He is one of the few writers of the 20th century, whose contributions were eclipsed by their wives. Still, five volumes of… Read more »
LTTE and Women Warriors
by Sachi Sri Kantha, October 12, 2025 Front Note by Sachi In 2010, I wrote a humorous verse ‘Six Blind Women of Gringo Land who went to see the Tiger’ [https://sangam.org/2010/03/Blind_Women.php?uid=3867], about the six American journalist who covered the Eelam war. It was inspired by John Godfrey Saxe’s poem. Subsequently, I also wrote an appreciation… Read more »
From Sachi’s Files – Chapter 27
Captain Pandithar and a Collection of 1985 Editorials in International Newspapers by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 29, 2025 Prelude Proper chronological dating of events is important to history. When did the so-called Sri Lankan civil war start? Majority of journalists (indigenous and international varieties) historians, politicians as well as those dimwit Wikipedia entry twisters opt… Read more »
A Critique on Rajani Thiranagama’s Assassin-Suspect ‘Bosco’
by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 15, 2025 Introduction Sept 21st marks the 36th death anniversary of human rights activist Dr. Rajani Thiranagama (1954-1989). At the time of her death, she was affiliated to the University of Jaffna. Last July 26th, Prof. Michael Roberts re-posted chapter 3 of Dr. Rajan Hoole’s 2015 book ‘Palmyra Fallen, from… Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 83
Besting the Karunanidhi-Indira Alliance by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 10, 2025 Exchanged comments with R. Kannan Comments received from Kannan, for Part 82, by mail of June 25th were as follows’ “You have skillfully employed the Kalki cartoons and write-ups from Kalki, Economic and Political Weekly, and India Today. Muhammad Ali’s visit and the AIADMK deserters… Read more »
Onomastics of Tamil Personal Names – Part 4
by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 27, 2025 LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s father Velupillai departed this world 15 years ago on Jan. 6, 2010, at the age of 86. To honor his memory, after 8 years, I pick up the thread on my Onomastics of Tamil Personal Names. In this Part 4, I focus on a specific… Read more »
From Sachi’s File – Chapter 26
When the LTTE strangled the Sri Lankan Army’s neck in 2000 by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 18, 2025 Front Note What happened 25 years ago in Elephant Pass, will NOT be recorded in the history columns of the website of the Government of Sri Lanka’s army. [https://www.army.lk/]. For the benefit of new recruits and the… Read more »
Notes on Reaching 70 Not Out – Part 9
Thanking Two Teachers for My Scientific Writing by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 3, 2025 When we complete our ‘formal studies’ at one or more tertiary institutions of learning with an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree, nominally we would have listened to lectures, trained in practicals and demonstrations, received guidance/ mentoring and other modes of… Read more »