CHENNAI: Well known Tamil scholar and an orator Silamboli Su Chellappan (91) passed away on Saturday due to age-related ailments at his residence at Tiruvanmiyur here. Leaders of political parties, including DMK president MK Stalin, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, TNCC president KS Alagiri and PMK founder S Ramadoss have condoled the death of the scholar.
Chellappan was born on September 24, 1928 at Siviyampalayam village near Namakkal and his discourses on Tamil epic Silappathikaram were well known and the late Tamil scholar RP Sethupillai hailed him as Silamboli Chellappan. Souvenirs for World Tamil Conferences at Chennai and Madurai and the souvenir for ‘World Semmozhi Conference’ at Coimbatore was prepared under his supervision. He also served as Director of Tamil Nadu government’s Tamil development department and Director of publications, department of Tamil University in Thanjavur.
He had travelled widely across the globe to attend many international conferences on literary events. Sanga Ilakkiya than and Semmozhi Thamizh Agapporul Kalanjiam were among the books authored by Chellappan.
In his message, Stalin said, “I convey my condolences on behalf of DMK over the demise of Silamboli Chellappan. His worked for Tamil and his deep relationship with the language would last eternally. ”Thol Thirumavalavan, VCK president said” He worked hard to spread Silapathikaram, an epic, among the masses. His death would be a big loss to Tamil and Tamil scholars”.MDMK’s Vaiko, Alagiri; S Ramadoss; and ER Eswaran, general secretary of Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi, also condoled the death of the Tamil scholar.