RANIPET: Veteran Tamil music composer and singer Deva, popularly known as ‘Thenisai Thendral’, who died of a heart attack in Chennai on Saturday, was laid to rest with state honours at his farm in Pazhaya Mangadu village in Sakkaramallur, Arcot taluk, Ranipet district, on Sunday. Personnel from the Ranipet Armed Reserve Police fired 72 rounds into the air as part of the honours.
Deva’s mortal remains were brought from Chennai to his farm around 3 pm. Residents of his native village put up tribute banners along the route. His body was taken to the burial site in a procession accompanied by traditional percussion music. Local residents and relatives gathered to pay their last respects.
Several prominent personalities, including CM C Joseph Vijay, DMK president M K Stalin and actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, had paid their last respects to Deva’s mortal remains in Chennai on Saturday. Following this, the state government announced that he would be laid to rest with state honours.
Cooperation Minister V Gandhiraj, Ranipet Collector N Priya Ravichandran, District Revenue Officer N Saravanan, MLAs M Sukumar, M M Vinoth Kannan and M Sudhakar, film personalities and thousands of people gathered at the farm to pay their final respects. Police personnel led by Ranipet Superintendent of Police P Sibin made arrangements for the state honours. Deva’s mortal remains, placed in a teakwood coffin, were laid to rest at a designated spot on the farm.
Born Devanesan Chokkalingam on November 20, 1950, he rose to prominence in Tamil cinema in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Known for his folk-based compositions and contribution to popularising gaana music, he composed music for hundreds of films across four South Indian languages.
His notable works include Annamalai, Baashha, Aasai, Kadhal Kottai and Vaalee. He received the Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaimamani Award and the State Film Award for Best Music Director for Aasai.