The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Karunanidhi honours T.M. Soundararajan

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Thursday, Aug 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi honours T.M. Soundararajan

Staff Reporter

Presents a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh to playback singer at a function in Madurai

— Photo: S.James

HONOUR: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi felicitating playback singer T.M.Soundararajan at a function held in Madurai on Wednesday.

MADURAI: Playback singer T.M. Soundararajan’s achievement as a Tamil in the world of music mattered the most, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has said.

“I am happy to honour him not just because he worked with me … not because he belonged to a popular community and also not because he hails from Madurai. But he achieved such a height in the world of music as a Tamil,” he said while offering felicitation to the singer at a function held here on Wednesday.

Mr. Karunanidhi appreciated the courage of Mr. Soundararajan for having come forward courageously to sing ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ in 1969 when many playback singers hesitantly refused.

The function organised by his son, M.K. Azhagiri, was a befitting way of expressing gratitude by an ardent fan (Mr. Azhagiri), who had all his life cherished the mellifluous music of the singer, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Appreciating the efforts of Mr. Azhagiri to organise such a massive function, the Chief Minister said the successful conduct had lived up to the expectation of his title, “a man with brave heart.”

The Chief Minister presented a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh to Mr. Soundararajan and Rs. 3 lakh to veteran playback singer, P. Suseela, on behalf of Azhagiri Educational Trust. A demand draft for Rs. 10 lakh was presented to the Kalaingar Karunanidhi Charitable Trust on behalf of the Azhagiri Educational Trust.

Mr. Soundararajan said his voice had the ability to bring out the feelings of characters in films and suited different artists aptly. “The Chief Minister used to call me “lucky TMS” and it is true that I had the opportunity to be felicitated after so many years amid a sea of humanity,” he said. The president of Tamil Film Producers’ Association, Rama Narayanan, presided. Veteran music directors M.S. Viswanathan and T.K. Ramamoorthi, Ms. Suseela, film director K. Balachander, lyricists Vaali and Vairamuthu and actor Vivek offered felicitations.

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