CHENNAI: “Many don’t fear death. They only wish it to be effortless - without any complication. I too wish the same. Yet, it doesn't happen to many. In my case also, it will be so,” was Cho S Ramaswamy's response in his question and answer column of 'Thuglak' magazine dated November 2. And, within a month, he passed away following a cardiac arrest.
Sreenivasa Iyer Ramaswamy (82) died in the wee hours of Wednesday at Apollo hospitals. He is survived by his wife Soundara Ramaswamy, son Rajivakshan alias Sriram and daughter Sindhuja.
Admitted to recently for respiratory complaints, he suffered a cardiac arrest at around 2 am., and the end came two hours later. For more than an year and a half, he was in and out of hospital.
Despite ill health, Cho continued to contribute to his magazine and his last public appearance was the 46th anniversary celebration of Thuglak on January 14.
From his childhood, family members used to address him as “Cho”. In the drama, Thenmozhiyal, scripted by by Koothabiran, a small role was given to him and the character was named Cho as per his wish. its success made popular the name Cho.
A conservative to the core but a multi-faceted personality, he was known for his wit and sharp repartee. He was a lawyer, dramatist and cine artiste, journalist, writer and satirist, yet he had everything centred on politics. Born in Mylapore in Chennai on October 5, 1934 to Srinivasa Iyer and Rajammal, Cho completed his schooling from PS Higher Secondary School and later went to Loyola and Vivekananda Colleges. He received his B.L degree from Madras Law College and practiced at Madras High Court between 1952 and 1962. Then, he served as a legal advisor to TTK Group of companies.
Cho got married to Soundara in 1966.
During the Vajpayee regime, Cho was nominated to the Rajya Sabha (1999 to 2005).
He started penning dramas from 1957 and in 1970 launched Thuglak and remained its editor till now. In 1976, he started the English fortnightly 'PickWick' but it was floded up after some years.
Cho has penned the script for 14 films and acted in around 200 movies. He has also authored 22 dramas and eight novels apart from directing and acting in four television serials. Among his dramas, Mohammed Bin Thuglak, a political satire, was a classic one. Later, it was made into a film, highly critical of the Congress and DMK.
Well versed in vedas and puranas, he had written 'Hindu Maha Samuthiram' (six volumes), 'Mahabharatham Pesukirathu', 'Valmiki Ramayanam' and 'Engae Brahamanan'.