M.S.S. Pandian did not care for power or authority, he was truly a 'vanagamudi'

Sethuraman Sundar M.S.S. Pandian, who is best remembered for his writings on Dravidian politics, cinema, caste, identity and several other socially relevant issues, passed away on Monday in Delhi. He was 57.Pandian died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), where he was rushed following a cardiac arrest, according to sources close to his family.He is best known for his book “The Image Trap: M G Ramachandran in Films and Politics”,which is an in-depth study of the actor turned politician M.G.Ramachandran. He has written two other books , Brahmin and Non-Brahmin: Genealogies of the Tamil Political Present and Political Economy of Agrarian Change: Nanchilnadu, c. 1880-1939, besides editing and writing numerous academic articles.Noted film historian Theodore Bhaskaran described Pandian as a primeval force in the world of academics: “When the study of Humanities is declining in our country, Pandian’s writings pointed out how engaging it can be and how it can provide insights into our lives. He did not care for power or authority and was truly a vanagamudi (A head that does not bend for any one.) . On the eve of the Semmozhi Mahanadu in Coimbatore he wrote a stinging note criticizing the position taken by M. Karunanidhi in the Sri Lankan-Tamil issue.” Pandian was well known in the academic circles for his study of issues from a subalteran perspective, Professor K.Nagraj who worked with Pandian at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) said, “What struck me was his courage to break well established moulds. It’s a huge loss as he had much more to contribute.”Pandian was an associate Professor at (MIDS) between 1989and 2001, and later joined Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU) in 2009 as professor.He is survived by his wife S. Anandi, who is an Associate Professor at Madras Institute of Development Students(MIDS), and a daughter.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this articles are the personal opinions of the author. The News Minute is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability or validity of any information in this article. The information, facts or opinions appearing in this article do not reflect the views of The News Minute and The News Minute does not assume any liability on the same.