CHENNAI: Tirunavukkarasu, founder proprietor of Vanathi Pathippagam (Vanathi Publications)passed away in his Abhiramapuram home on Tuesday. He was 88. An active man till he turned 85, Tirunavukkarasu remained bed-ridden for the past two months.
“Old age caught up with him. He used to follow his routine of waking up by 4am, proofreading the books and then took a walk at Nageshwara Rao park and end his day with a walk on the beach. He used to drive his own car until he was 80 years old,” RM Tirugnanasambandham (50), his son-in-law told Express.
The family remembers him as a spiritual person and the last book by his bedside before his death was Mahaperiyava Anubavangal (Experiences of Mahaperiyava).
Tirunavukkarasu was a rags to riches story. As a teenager, he trekked across mountains and arid plains to reach India from Burma during World War 2. After short stints with several publications including Kumudam, he founded Vanathi in 1955.
His publishing house was named after a character in Kalki’s epic, Ponniyin Selvan. Years later, his daughter was also named after the character. Vanathi has published historical fiction by writers such as Kalki and Chandilyan.
The former Chief Minister Rajaji’s books on Ramayana and Mahabaratha were also published by Vanathi.
Close to a 1000 books have been published by the house till date.
Tirunavukkarasu is survived by his wife Kaliammai Achi (82) and five children.