G. Sarangapani

இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கோ. சாரங்கபாணி

G. Sarangapani (Sarangapani Govindasamy) (April 20, 1903 - March 16, 1974) was a Singaporean community leader, identified as a journalist, writer and activist. He worked for more than 40 years for the betterment and unity of Indian community living in Malaya which was earlier a single country comprising Malaysia and Singapore. He was one of the pioneers in shaping modern Tamil literature and forging the roots of Tamil culture in Malaya. Celebration of Tamil Thirunal, which he initiated to promote the language and culture of Tamil people, paved the way for growth of Indian art and Tamil literature in Malaysia and Singapore. He leveraged Tamil Murasu that he started, as a medium for social development.

Private Life

G. Sarangapani was born on April 20, 1903 at Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. He was fluent in both Tamil and English. G. Sarangapani completed his final year education at Thiruvarur High School. He shifted to Singapore in search of a livelihood in 1924 at the age of 21. His daughter Rajam mentioned in an interview that he had only two dhotis and two shirts at that time. According to the books written about him, he began his career as an accountant in a shop owned by Singapore’s big businessman Market Street P. Ibrahim Shah and quickly elevated himself as a manager through his hard work and talent.

G. Sarangapani, an accountant and administrator, set up the Ashoka Trading Company on chiliki road shortly before 1930s for importing and selling energy drugs and tonics that were very popular at that time. G. Sarangapani was selling books as well as an agent for printing work. He purchased a printing press 'Star Press' located on chiliki road in 1933.

G. Sarangapani married Lim Boon Neo, a Chinese woman in Singapore in 1937. G. Sarangapani did not share the news of his wedding with his close friends too. The couple had four sons: Rajaram, Janakiram, Jayaram and Balaram, and two daughters: Radha and Rajam. After many years of community service, G. Sarangapani at the age of 71 passed away on March 16, 1974 at 4:00 a.m. at the Singapore General Hospital.

Literary Life

G. Sarangapani was known as an essayist. Dr. Sivakumaran noted in his study that G. Sarangapani never embarked on fictional endeavors. G. Sarangapani however played an important role in the development of art and literature in Singapore and Malaysia. G. Sarangapani made possible through Tamil Murasu, where he was the editor and founder, and Tamil Thirunal, which led to the rise of Tamil culture in Malaya in the 1950s. G. Sarangapani gave opportunity to a large number of Malaysian and Singaporeans in Tamil Murasu to write short stories, serials, essays and poems. He encouraged literary discussions to take place in Tamil Murasu.

One of the main reasons for the emergence of Malaya's literary sense was due to 'Rasanai Vahuppu’ published in Tamil Murasu. On April 19, 1952, G. Sarangapani created a page 'Suba Narayanan (Kandasamy Vathiyar) Vazhi' (path) in Tamil Murasu daily. This taught readers the nuances of absorbing short stories.

G. Sarangapani formed 'Manavar Mani Mandram' (Students Precious Forum) in May 2, 1952, realizing that the emergence of unique writers in Malaya would be possible only by the younger generation born in Malaysia. Manavar Mani Mandram magazine was published every Monday as a supplement to Tamil Murasu daily. Within a year of this forum’s inception, 7,510 members joined it. The members published various forms of writings and participated in many competitions. R. Karthikesu, Cai. Pirmukammatu,, A.S. Jeevananthan, M. Ilankannan, I. Ulaganathan, Rama.Kannabiran, Amaladasan, K.D.M. Iqbal, S.A. Anbananthan, Seeni Naina Muhammed and M. Anbuchelvan, who got nurtured in this forum, played important role in the development of literature with distinct identity in Malaysia in the seventies.

Tamil Ilaigner Mani Mandram (Tamil Youth Precious Forum) emerged as a continuation of this Student Mani Mandram. It was one of the oldest and leading Indian youth organizations in Malaysia.

G. Sarangapani started a writers council under the leadership of V. Thirunavukkarasu on July 5, 1952. On next day the council began, G. Sarangapani wrote in the preface of Tamil Murasu issue that he made this effort to bring together the scattered writers. G. Sarangapani also organized a monthly short story competition, venba competition and vruthapa competition, and encouraged people with attractive prizes to write.

Launched on January 13, 1952, 'Tamil Thirunal' became a significant cultural event with an emphasis on language, literature and art. G. Sarangapani's contribution to the deepening of modern literature in Malaya was profound through the importance given to fiction in annual issues published by Tamil Murasu from time to time and his support for authors on publications.

Tamil Murasu pioneered in publishing the first Modern poetry 'Kalla Partugal' by C. Kamalanathan in 1964 in the Land of Singapore and Malaysia.

Journalism

Inspired by the self-esteem movement established by E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar) in Tamil Nadu even before he shifted to Singapore, G. Sarangapani played a key role in spreading the idea of self-esteem in Singapore.

On May 2, 1925, E.V.Ramasamy began publishing the Kudi Arasu newspaper. G. Sarangapani was the distributor for this newspaper in Singapore. A weekly magazine 'Munetram’ (Progress) was launched at Singapore on January 16, 1929. G. Sarangapani served as a co-editor and later, became editor in 1930. Following E.V.R.'s first visit to Malaya on December 20, 1929, G. Sarangapani along with his friend A.C. Subbaiah and others started Tamils Reform Association in Singapore in 1930.

G. Sarangapani expanded activities of the Association in various fields like rational propaganda, stage plays, sports, volunteer force, night class, etc.  On Saturday, July 6, 1935, Tamil Murasu started as a weekly issue of the Association. The first issue of Tamil Murasu was published from Tamils Reform Association’s residence at Killian Road.

Launched as a weekly at the price of one paise, Tamil Murasu’s sales volume was 200 copies. Within a span of an year, it began to be released three days a week and the sales went up to 3,000 copies.

In addition, the Association also published an English monthly magazine 'Reform' for those who did not know Tamil. G. Sarangapani who was the secretary of the reform association at that time, served as the editor of both the magazines. G. Sarangapani started a printing press 'Star Press' even before the launch of Tamil Murasu, which helped him understand the intricacies of the press.