R.A Padmananbhan

Journalist and historian RA Padmanabhan, who made the most important contribution to studies on poet Subramania Bharathi, died at the age of 97. His work on Bharathi wascrucial, with many of the poet’s letters and manuscripts having survived only because of Padmanabhan’s efforts. His first work on Bharathi came in 1957, followed by two more in 1982 and 2006. The subject of his work became his guiding light and he was once quoted as saying, “Many are the lessons I've learnt from Bharathi - catholicity of outlook, the shunning of ostentation, fearlessness in expressing my opinion”. He started his career with the Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan at the age of 16, becoming the youngest to become a subeditor. He was also the first editor of Dinamani Kadir and had a brief stint with AIR. Padmanabhan penned biographies of many freedom fighters including Neelakanda Brahmachari and Subramania Siva. He received the Bharathiar Award in 2006.