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C. Sivagnana Sundaram

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இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: சி.சிவஞானசுந்தரம்

C Sivagnana Sundaram
In memory of Sivagnana Sundaram
Sirithiran Sundar
Sirithiran Sundar - last days. Near Kokilam Sundar.

C. Sivagnana Sundaram (Sirithiran Sundar) (March 3, 1924 - March 3, 1996) was a cartoonist and the editor of the caricature magazine Sirithiran, which was Sri Lanka's most popular socio-political magazine.

Birth, Education

C. Sivagnana Sundaram was born on March 3, 1924, in Karaveddy, Jaffna, to V. K. Sitrambalam, Sri Lanka's first Postmaster General. His father sent Sivagnana Sundaram, who was adept in painting and drawing, to India to study architecture. There he became involved in the art of caricature and studied painting in the J.J school of Arts. While in India, he learned portrait drawing and charcoal drawing from a teacher called Rajaram.

Personal Life

Kokilam was Sivagnana Sundaram’s wife. Their daughter Vani Sunder lives in exile.

In 1987, the office, printing press and library of Sirithiran were burnt by the Indian Peacekeeping Force, which forced Sivagnana Sundaram to relocate from Jaffna. Sivanasundaram suffered a stroke due to the attacks. He drew with the left hand since his right hand was rendered inactive. Sirithiran Sundar published his magazine until he died.

Life of Drawing

Sivagnana Sundaram’s role model was the famous cartoonist Mali of Tamil Nadu. During Mali’s visit to Sri Lanka with Kalki Krishnamoorthy, the ten-year-old Sivagnana Sundaram attended their reception meeting and witnessed the cartoonist, with a piece of chalk in hand, draw caricatures of the political leaders of the day on a blackboard. This event made him interested in the art of caricature.

Sivagnana Sundaram, who was interested in the paintings of S.R. Kanakasabai, befriended journalist R.K. Karanjia while studying at the J.J. School of Arts in Bombay. Karanjia published Sundaram’s cartoons in his magazines Blitz and Conch. Thus Sundaram got acquainted with the famous cartoonists Bal Thackeray and R.K. Lakshman.

Kalam - Sirithiran Sundar Special Edition

Sivagnana Sundaram returned to Sri Lanka to work as a drawing artist for the government construction department. He accepted the invitation of Kailasapati, the editor of the Dinakaran newspaper and started drawing the series Savarithambar under the name Sundar. After Kailashpati left Dinakaran, Sundar joined Veerakesari. Sunder also drew on the Mithran daily and the Samasamajs party magazine Samasamajist. Sundar also drew cartoon series like Minor Machan and Chithira Kanam in the Dinakaran weekly magazine.

Sirithiran

Sivagnana Sundaram started Sirithiran Magazine in Colombo in January 1963 in order to publish his cartoons. From 1971 the magazine was published from Jaffna. Even though one or two issues failed to appear, Sirithiran continued to be in print until Sivagnana Sundaram’s death (see Sirithiran).

Death

Due to the forced displacement by war in 1995, Sivagnana Sundaram stopped his magazine and moved to his hometown of Karaveddy. He died there on March 3, 1996.

Memories

Tikkavayal Dharmakulasingam, who was greatly inspired by Sirithiran Sundar and his magazine, ran a humor magazine called Suvaithral. He also published a special edition and an anthology on Sirithiran.

  • Sinthanai Porali Sirithiran Sivagnana Sundaram - Tikkavayal Dharmakulasingam[1]
  • Kalam - Sirithiran Sundar Special Edition[2]
  • Suvaithiral - Sirithiran Special Edition

Works

  • Cartoon Ulagil Naan
  • Sirithiran Sithira Kothu[3]
  • Magudi badhilgal

References

Footnotes



✅Finalised Page


First published on: 29-Sep-2022, 22:37:49 IST