CHENNAI: Describing the demise of veteran music director MS Viswanathan as an irreparable loss to the Tamil film industry as well as for the music world, Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday lamented that the successive governments at the Centre had ignored her repeated requests to confer Padma award on Viswanathan.
“I have been recommending Padma award for MS Viswanathan for a long time since 1991. But the successive governments at the Centre which had not done anything in favour of the State government, had turned a deaf ear to my repeated requests too”, the Chief Minister said in her condolence message.
Stating that Viswanathan was a recipient of many awards including Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaimamani award, Jayalalithaa said Tamil Isai Sangam had honoured him with Isai Perarignar award in 2003. Kerala government had conferred Best Music Director award on Viswanathan. “In 2012, I have honoured him with Thirai Isai Chakravarthi award. On that day, Viswanathan and his troupe sang the melodious song *Pullaankulal kodutha moongilkalae* and the music rendered by Viswanathan still ringing in my ears”, she added.
The AIADMK supremo also recalled that she had rendered many songs under his music composition which include *O Mary Dilrupa* in the film Suryakanthi and *Chithira Mandapathil* in the film Anbaithedi and *Ulagam Oru Naal* in the film Thirumaangalyam film. Above all, Viswanathan’s fame would remain unerased by his music composition for Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu - *Neeerarum Kadaludutha*.