Vamanan
Vamanan
Indian writer, journalist, and film music historian
Vamanan is an Indian writer, journalist, documentary film-maker and film music historian based in Chennai. He is known for his documentation of the lives of Tamil film music composers, singing stars and playback singers. Vamanan was awarded the Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani award (2005) by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for his contribution to Tamil film history and won the first prize of the Government of Tamil Nadu Tamil development department for the first volume of Thirai Isai Alaigal (2000).[1][2]
Vamanan worked in newspapers including The Hindu, The Indian Express and India Today in the editorial. He was film critic of The Indian Express in the eighties. His first book was Thirai Isai Alaigal. Subsequently, four more volumes of Thirai Isai Alaigal have been released.[3][4][5][6][7] His biography of singer T. M. Soundararajan titled "TMS - Oru pann-pattu charithiram" traces the Soundararajan's life while exploring more than thirty years of film world history.[8][9] His work Mellisai Mannargal Paattu Payanam is on the work of Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy (a duo consisting of M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy) in their individual capacities. The book was released by Justice S. Mohan and the first copy was received by film producer M. Saravanan.[10]
| Year | Book | Language(s) | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Thirai Isai Alaigal | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2000 | Vajpayee Kavithaigal (A translation from Hindi of Vajpayee's poems) | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2002 | TMS – Oru Pann-Paattu Charithiram | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2003 | Thirai Isai Alaigal Part 3, Calcutta Netru Indru Naalai | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2004 | Mellisai Mannargal Paattu Payanam, Thirai Isai Alaigal Part 4 | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2005 | Siva Darshan | English | A Tattvaloka Publication |
| 2006 | Sangitha Chakravarthy G. Ramanathan | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2007 | Vallalar – A pictorial biography | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2011 | Thirai Isai Alaigal Part 5 | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2012 | Gundusi B.R.S.Gopal – A life and anthology | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2014 | Thirai Isai Kalanjiam (1278 page Omnibus edition of five volumes of Thirai Isai Alaigal) | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
| 2015 | Mannavan Vandhaanadi (Part 1 of K.V.Mahadevan biography) | Tamil | Manivachagar Pathippagam |
- "Honoured by the State for contribution to arts". The Hindu. 17 February 2006. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "Vamanan Blog - Times of India Blog". Times of India Blog. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- Kolappan, B. (18 April 2013). "Music director Ramamurthy passes away". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "Legendary Tamil Actor Manorama Passes Away". Northeast Today. 11 October 2015. Archived from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- Yamunan, Sruthisagar. "SP Balasubrahmanyam's staggering achievement: 40,000 tracks, 50 years later, numerous languages". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- Kolappan, B. (3 August 2013). "Dakshinamurti passes away". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "T.M. Soundararajan". Ilankai Tamil Sangam. 8 July 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "TMS, the unsung hero of Tamil film world". The Hindu. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "Voice of Tamil". Frontline. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "Recalling the 'golden era' of Tamil film music". The Hindu. 23 July 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.