I had the great privelege of performing in his earliest dance dramas "Ambapali", "Sujatha", "Nritya Prasuthi", "Madhavi", and "Manimekhalai". He was dearly loved by all of us and we always enjoyed performing to his masterly compositions, as they were eyeopeners. He was a great scholar and we learnt so much about music and dance from his compositions. He was extremely passionate about his work and tried to find equally passionate artistes to choreograph and sing his compositions. Among these artistes were Dhananjayan and Shantha whose "Sanghamitra" was well received by audiences, Vasanthalakshmi and Narasimhachari, Lakshmi Mani, Komala Varadan and myself.

I remember that even when my husband was down in the hospital following a massive heart attack, our entire team including my daughters, mother, and musicians went to Ottawa to perform Professor's "Manimekhalai", because he couldn't cancel it at the last minute and it had been well advertised. We had to drive over ten to twelve hours, performed at the Museum the next day in two shows, and then returned to Detroit after dropping off one of the dancers at Hamilton. The episode that sticks to my mind was where The Great One (Lord Buddha) asks a distraught mother whose son is dead and wants him revived, to go and bring mustard seeds from a home where death had not visited. I performed it with great emotion. Soon after, my husband also passed on.

Professor was a wonderful organiser, and took loving care of his artistes. In this he was given full support by his loving wife Jaya and his son Gautham. His home was filled with lovely artefacts from all over the world, was artistic, and filled with peace and tranquillity. The world has indeed lost a great scholar, a sensitive artiste, and above all a knowledgeable musicologist. Recently we lost another great Guru, my Guru Shri Mahalingam Pillai, a great upholder of the Tanjore Tradition in Bharata Natyam, director and senior advisor at Bombay's Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir. Time moves on, its majestic strides waiting for none. In the passing away of Professor Subramaniam the world has lost a noble, energetic, and erudite scholar who gave so much to the world of dance and music.........He sure will be missed, but his work will and must continue through the efforts of us artistes, for.........

"Lives of great men all remind us.
That we must keep our lives sublime
And departing leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time"

Our deepest condolences to dear Jaya and Gautam.

The Sudha Doraiswamy Chandrasekhar Family
Oak Park, Michigan, U.S.A

Though none of us addressed him so Prof. Subramaniam was affectionately referred to as "Suppar" by his students at Jaffna Central College where he taught Chemistry in the early fifties. Yes, he did Chemistry for his first Degree though he appeared for his M.A. in Political Science (Madras University) while he was still in Sri Lanka.

Chemistry was one of my subjects for my Degree too but I would not know how much of Chemistry I learnt from him but I do know that he had been a tremendous influence in the choice of my life-long hobby, Carnatic music. Whatever time I could catch him he taught me the lyrics and melody in those taunting gems of G.N.B, M.S., and D.K.P ., to name a few whose singles were so often heard over Trichi and Madras radio, since the late forties. "Suppar" had indeed a lot to do in inculcating in me this love for Carnatic music.

He was one with such varied interests that we seek him for anything and everything, as one would from a Guru and he indeed was one. Let me share an interesting episode: One of our female class mates got married when we were at school. We had to send a wedding message, usually conveyed in a telegram if not attending. Not knowing what to say, self and my friend Ponna ( Dr. Ponnambalam, now a retired Medico, resident in Australia) approached "Suppar" for the would be Text of the message. He obliged with " Dheerga Sumangali Bava". Following this, an elder brother of a class mate was getting married. Not willing to bother "Suppar" again we shot off the identical message Dheerga Sumangali Bava" and felt utterly elated and resourceful !. The next time we set eyes on "Suppar" we mentioned this to him and, quite understandably, he broke out in a hearty laugh, telling us the actual meaning of that message in Sanskrit. We were thoroughly embarrassed and the only expected redemption was in the sneaky thought that the Groom too may not have realized that the message was indeed to his bride!

I was one of the few who attended his wedding in Madras. He found himself in an unenviable situation where he had to find a bride and also make arrangements for the wedding, all within a matter of two or three weeks before he was to proceed to Australia. So, I knew when Jaya came into "Suppar's life!. I lost contact with them after their wedding. However, I could recall an occasion, about 5 years hence, when I visited his mother in Madras she was so proud to announce that her grandson, Gautam, then 4, was to fly over to Madras in a week or two from Australia (I think) un-accompanied, to get acquainted with his kin back home.

We were out of touch for well over 35 years and I ran into him in Ottawa in 1987. Prof. may or may not have known that I had, in the mean time, become a Carnatic Instrumentalist handling both the Flute and the Veena. My first Veena recital in Canada was arranged by him at Carleton University under the auspices of the faculty of Religion. Since then, I have played both Veena and Flute for many of his Dance Dramas while my daughter Ananthy has also taken part as a dancer, the most memorable one being that which was staged in connection with the inaugural function of the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa.

Though I live in Toronto we have always been in touch and he had a part in whatever I did, especially in the field of music. He reviewed my twin Flute CDs released late in 2002 and I had been expecting him to review my triple Veena CDs released in April this year. Saddened to learn that our "Suppar" had departed from us all, just about a week before he was to return to Ottawa. I was privileged not only to have known him but also to have had him as my very first Guru who gave me direction in a hobby that had eventually become a passion and also a role model in whom I saw a man totally bereft of ego but with a commanding presence attributable to his wisdom and multi faceted interests.

We shall miss him. May his soul rest in peace.

S. Sridas
Ontario, Canada