A. S. Gnanasambanthan

A. S. Gnanasambanthan (1916 - August 7, 2002) was a Tamil scholar and a Saiva scholar. He was a renowned stage speaker and cultural literature researcher.

Birth, Education

A. S. Gnanasambanthan was born in 1916, to a famous Tamil scholar from Arasankudi near Kallanai in the Tiruchirappalli district, Aa. Mu. Saravana Mudaliar, and Sivakami. His father, Aa. Mu. Saravana Mudaliar, was awarded the title Peruncholvilakanaar. He ran a clothing store; that was when he got in touch with Na. Mu. Venkatasamy Nattar. Aa. Mu. Saravana Mudaliar, who was already well versed in literary novels and Kambaramayanam, wrote a commentary on Thiruvilayaadal Puranam, along with Na. Mu. Venkatasamy Nattar, and published it. Later, he worked as a Tamil teacher at the Board High School, Lalgudi. A. S. Gnanasambanthan received his primary education from his father. He completed his secondary education at Board High School, Lalgudi. In 1935, he did his intermediate studies in physics at Annamalai University. A novelist, Somasundara Bharathiar, who was a Tamil professor at Annamalai University, recognized his knowledge and interest in Tamil; he persuaded him to switch from physics to Tamil. While he was studying at this college, he got acquainted with Tamil scholars such as V. S. Srinivasa Sastri, Thiru. Vi. Kalyanasundara Mudaliar , R. Raghava Iyengar and Te. Po. Meenakshisundaranar. He finished his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Tamil at Annamalai University.

Personal Life

A. S. Gnanasambanthan fell in love with his classmate Rajamaal and married her amidst several obstacles, in a ceremony held in Chennai; headed by Dr. Dharmambal. They had two sons, Meikandan and Saravanan, and four daughters, Sivakamasundari, Pangayachelvi, Anbuchelvi and Meera.

After obtaining a Master's degree in Tamil, he joined Pachaiyappa’s College in 1942 as a Tamil Lecturer. He worked there till 1956. Later, he worked as a production in-charge of dramas at All India Radio in Chennai. From 1959, he served as the Joint Director in the Translation Department of the Press Department for the Government of Tamil Nadu. He also worked as the Joint Director of the Tamil Publishing Department. From 1967 to 1970, he served as the Director of the Department of Tamil Development. In 1971, when Te. Po. Meenakshisundaranar became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madurai, A. S. Gnanasambanthan was invited to join the University of Madurai as the Head of the Tamil Department. In 1973, he retired from this position.

In his last days, he started losing his eyesight gradually due to diabetes and eventually lost his sight completely. He had an assistant who wrote his books for him.

Literary Life

Thiru. Vi. Kalyanasundara Mudaliar introduced Te. Po. Meenakshisundaranar to A. S. Gnanasambanthan while he was studying at the Annamalai University in Chidambaram. A. S. Gnanasambanthan accepted Te. Po. Meenakshisundaranar as his teacher.

A. S. Gnanasambanthan, a renowned educator, was the one who developed students like Ma. Ra. Po. Gurusamy, P. Raman and N. Sanjeevi, who became popular later on. He coined the term Thirunaaivu (criticism). During his tenure as the Director of Tamil Development from 1967 to 1970, he translated and published more than 350 science and history textbooks in Tamil, with the intention of bringing all of the courses in Tamil. These books are still considered as important textbooks in the Tamil language.