In Memory @tribute2025 - Tumblr Blog

FRANK CAPRIO SIR 20 August 2025

It is disheartening to learn the demise of the legendary Frank Caprio. Like many, I got to know him through the short videos of his courtrooms in Youtube. The courtroom atmosphere was both fair and light and brought a lot of warmth. I always preferred such classrooms where students felt they were treated fair and the atmosphere was more light than heavy. Though the cases were less trivial, I always believed a fair judge with a smiling demeanor and a courtroom where the under trial believes that he can speak his heart out are hallmarks of a progressive society. I loved the way he reached out to children and the minority. He was born on November 24, the Coimbatore Day and that endeared him more to me. May his soul rest in peace.

#frankcaprio

BOB SIMPSON SIR August 15 2025 On the passing away of Bob Simpson, the world of cricket has lost a legendary cricketer whose contributions in the pitch and from the pavilion deserved a lot of applause. I got to know Bob Simpson first as a coach or advisor before I knew him as a player. My first tryst with the legend was through his columns in The Sportstar titled "Cricket Corner". I found his thoughts well meant and well mentioned. Later I learnt of his incredible Test career which got a reboot in the end courtesy the WSC. He was the 8th Test triple centurion with nearly 5000 runs in 62 matches with 70+ wickets and 110 catches. I found it cinematic that he gained back captaincy at 41 after a break of 10 years and covering cricket for a couple of years as commentator. His 10 year gap between tests and his connection with the two tied tests are always part of quiz trivia. As the coach, he ensured Australia's ascend to its glorious heights by ensuring their win in 1987 World Cup. He was also a coach of Netherlands and served as one of the consultants for the Indian cricket team. I am grateful for his tips in enhancing the likes of Ganguly and Dravid. He has inspired and enhanced a lot of legends in Australian cricket and Steve Waugh's tribute speaks volumes about the legend's impact. May his soul find peace.

#bobsimpson

ILA GANESAN SIR 15 August 2025 It is disheartening to learn the demise of Thiru La Ganesan, one of the prominent faces of BJP in Tamil Nadu politics. His contribution to the society via RSS for more than 2 decades and his role in TN politics with BJP for more than 3 decades is praiseworthy. Unlike today's BJP leaders, he was able to maintain cordial relations and play the second fiddle in state politics. I had learnt quite a bit about Mr La Ganesan as he was part of two of my quizzes "The Ganesans Quiz" and "The Bachelors Quiz". I have heard about him from Late Mr Vasudevan Sir, who held him in very high regard. I have deep respect for his initiative to enhance the language of Tamil through his magazine and organisation "Por Thaamarai". His sincerity in approach particularly when the approach was not a popular or majoritarian point of view needs to be lauded. That his demise was on Independence day speaks of his tryst with destiny. May his soul attain salvation.

#ilaganesan

Dr VECE PAES August 14 2025 The demise of Dr Vece Paes comes in as a disheartening news. Dr Paes will be better known as father of Leander Paes and as Thiruvalluvar mentions will have the joy of "Ivan Thanthai En Notraan Kol ennum Sol". I first knew Leander and eventually got to know that the Olympic medal winner was the son of two Olympians Dr Vece and Mrs Jennifer. In 1996, I was surprised to know that a doctor can be a hockey player and go on to win an OIympic medal. While Dr Vece Paes has his organic connections with hockey, tennis and basketball, his professional contribution to sports administration in football and rugby deseerves special mention. He has made a very significant contribution to Indian cricket by spearheading the anti doping programme two decades ago. May his soul rest in peace

#drvecepaes #vecepaes

PEIRCE NIGLI SIR 05 August 2025 I am pained to learn the passing away of PEIRCE NIGLI Sir who will always remain a living example of a gentleman. I got to know Peirce Sir through The Coimbatore Book Club and for a good time, he was at the helm of affairs. I was always enamoured by the way he conducted himself and by the way he conducted the meetings. He always possessed a gentle smile which was a reflection of the radiance inside him. His words always seemed well chosen and measured. He would always be encouraging and constructive in his talk. Even when he offered a contrarian point of view, Peirce Sir had a way of both putting the point across and not offending the other person. A man of immense knowledge, he would greet everyone young and old with so much humility and always made great conversations. He was always prompt to respond to queries in person or via social media. I still fondly remember a discussion over cup of coffee and piece of vadai at our Coimbatore Book Club. For long I thought he was spelled Pierce before a newspaper article featuring him had the name Peirce. I told him how the news journalist got his name wrong. In his own jovial way, he made me understand that I was the one who was wrong all the time. I tried to save face by saying that his name is an anagram of pierce. He casually said that recipe is another anagram and that the person who prepared the vadai needed a lesson in recipe. His passing away is a great loss for all of us who had spent some time with the great man. He was a perfect example for a gentleman and the next generation will miss perhaps a great role model. Thanks for enriching lives with your smile, words and action, Peirce Sir. After ensuring a lot of peace in the human world, may you soul attain peace in the heavenly abode.

#peircenigli

MADAN BOB SIR August 02 2025

It is hard to learn the passing away of a great man who always put a smile on your face. My first memory of Madan Bob is Vaaname Ellai and he grew on as a performer and the man next door with incredible short performances in Devar Magan, Poove Unakkaga, Friends, Poovellam Kettupaar, Miinsara Kanna, Thenali, Ethiree, Chandramukhi, Arai Enn 305il Kadavul, Ethirneechal etc. I was amazed by the way he created an impact by just appearing in a scene or two with minimal or no coherence to the main story. His trademark smile and body language always brought out smile or laughter from the audience. During COVID lockdown, I was doing a quiz on screen names and real names and only then I realized that his name was Krishnamurthy. It was also during that time that I learned about his musical prowess. While we thank Madan Bob Sir for all the great memories, we pray that his soul attains peace.

#madanbob

Dr NAMPERUMALSAMY SIR July 24 2025 There is moistness in eyes as we receive the news of passing away of Dr Namperumalsamy Sir. The great ophthalmologist had a great vision and he ensured that nothing slipped out of sight in transforming it into reality. As a person with eye ailments from my first standard, I had read a lot about Aravind Eye Hospitals. A lot of people I know have enormous trust on their eye care which is driven by values and a sound management. I first heard about Dr Nam when he was mentioned in Times Magazine as one among the 100 most influential people in 2010. In the article, I read he was a rare combination of a great surgeon, great teacher, great researcher and great administrator. It is upto all of us to ensure that his vision of affordable and quality eye care is not lost in the hovering lights of capitalism. Thanks for being a role model, Dr Nam

#drnamperumalsamy

HULK HOGAN July 24 2025 When WWF started premiering in TV, we were all very young and aptly very enamored by the show. One of my greatest public rebellion is being a vociferous part of the group of our street boys to shout at our local cable TV provider for cutting WWF without notice. I think I should be in my 7th or 8th Standard and as we were eagerly awaiting WWF, we were shell shocked to find that our local cable person had taken the moral highground and stopped the show. Wrestle Mania spilled on the streets and within 5 minutes more than 20 boys had marched to the cable TV shop. The incident frightened our cable shop person and our parents. That was the fan following enjoyed by WWF in the 1990s. Hulk Hogan was easily one of the biggest names in WWF at that time. His entry that included tearing up the T shirt resulted in quite a few torn up banians in our neighbourhood. I remember pestering my brother asking why he always had a hand in his hear and it took my brother a lot of time to convey me the significance of the celebration which has now become very common in cricket. During a school quiz I didnt know the answer to the question "By what name is Terry Gene Bollea better known as?". I was nearly in tears when the answer was revealed as Hulk Hogan. The passing away of the heroes whom we adored as kids is always a very numb and sore feeling. Thanks for the entertainment and excellence, Hulk Hogan. Hulkmania lives on.

#hulkhogan

VS ACHUTHANANDAN SIR July 21 2025 After completing a glorious landmark of 100 years and many glorious moments in public service, Comrade VS Achuthanandan has left for his heavenly abode. My first tryst with the great man was during a spelling and pronunciation contest and with my very little political knowledge about the politics of my neighbouring state, I can only say that the grand old man was held in high esteem but all those in left, right and united. I was amazed by his concern for natural resources and sustainable development and his more pragmatic interpretation of atheism and communism. I had a passing glance of him when he came to Coimbatore after being elected as the CM of Kerala. He was a regular feature in my Nonagenarian quiz and the question went "Born in Alappuzha, starting his MLA career at Ambalapuzha and ending with a firm hand over Malampuzha"

I liked this line from a tribute I read about him. "V.S. Achuthanandan’s life reminds us that genuine change is not loud or self-congratulatory. It is rooted in moral strength, courage, and the refusal to look away from injustice. His legacy lives on — not in statues, but in every person brave enough to speak for what is right." Lal Salaam, VS Sir

#VS #vsachuthanandan

MK MUTHU July 19 2025 I am saddened to note the demise of MK Muthu, the first son of MK Karunanidhi. He forayed into cinema with his father's wishes and politics against his father's wishes but couldn't go the distance in both of them. He was also a singer and actor in the times when it fell out of trend in the 1960s and 1970s. He is a soft spoken person who made peace with his shortcomings. His relationship with his father's arch rival MGR offers a classic case study and I was once involved to plot a plot out of it. He had a long tryst with illness and I pray that his soul finds peace.

#mkmuthu

VELU PRABHAKARAN July 18 2025 It is disheartening to learn the demise of Velu Prabhakaran known for his bold films on atheism and sexuality. He was a well known cinematographer before he turned director. I had watched only Kadavul and Puratchikaaran among his films and found them interesting if not wholesome. I have heard rave reviews about his debut film Nalaiya Manithan but didnt get to watch it. During college days, I was a budding atheist and loved exploring atheism in the films Kadavul and Puratchikaaran. I loved the song "Arivu Iruntha Konjam Yosichu Paaru" from the movie Kadavul. I remember a bus journey from Gandhipuram to Chinna Vedampatti with my friend Vinod being consumed by our naïve discussion on the song. May his soul find peace.

#veluprabhakaran

SAROJA DEVI MADAM July 14 2025 It is depressing to hear the passing away of the legendary Saroja Devi Madam. Her legacy as an actress is well established. She became an actress by 18, had a 54 year old span as an actress and she ruled the industry in the 1960s. I had watched movies like Anbe Vaa, Padakotti, Puthiya Paravai etc in cassettes when I was a kid. I had grown up reading and listening people talk about her photogenic face and expressive eyes. I liked her cameos in Once More and Aadhavan. While I was growing up in the 80s, "Periya Saroja Devi nu ninaippu" was in common use. Even in 2000s, the dialogue "Saroja Devi Soap Dappa" made sense. Her legacy continued to live despite her last film as a heroine being in early 1970s. Even today most people know who is fondly called "Abinaya Saraswathi" or "Kannadathu Paingili" It was surprising that the Kannada woman who had superstar status in Tamil, Kannada and Telugu movies missed to act in a Malayalam movie. We had planned a quiz during COVID on Better Halves and that is when I learnt about her short lived married life. My respects only grew for her. She has endeared herself to a generation and her legacy has continued to inspire the next generations. May her soul be blessed with peace.

#sarojadevi

KOTA SRINIVASA RAO SIR 13 July 2025 It is saddening to hear the demise of actor Kota Srinivasa Rao whose fiery performances on screen with a voice to match will not be forgotten easily. Kota Srinivasa Rao was already an actor with more than 2 decades of experience before he made his debut in Tamil with Saamy in 2003. As Perumal Pichai, the actor with his unique mix of acting, body language and voice won over the Tamil audience instantly. He went on to carve a niche for himself as a menacing villian with films like Tirupaachi, Paramasivam, Kokki, Ko etc. His seamless shift to comedy with films like Saguni and All in All Azhaghu Raja proved his rich versatility. Though his filmography in Tamil is very limited with just 30 films in 15 years, he had endeared himself to the Tamil fans very easily and effectively. His loss is huge to the cinema industry in general and Telugu cinema where he had acted in more than 700 films in specific. His name starts with Kota which refers to fort and with his forte, he has built at Kota (Kottai) for himself among crores of fans. May his soul rest in peace.

#kotasrinivasarao

MOHAN ANNA 06 July 2025

The demise of Mohan Anna has left a void that would be very hard to fill even though I am just an extension of his extended family. Mohan Anna was easily one of the most cheerful and easily going persons I have come across. He is heavily inclined to seeing the lighter side of things. He was a man with great wisdom and lovely heart which was evident even he chose smile and silence over speeches. His grasping of what you wanted to say was of very high order. He never beat around the bush and would come straight to the point. His measured words always brought in comfort beyond measure.

His "Yov" always had a great tinge of love and care in it. His subtle humour would always remain a legend among our relatives. He ensured his presence during difficult times and his solidity of presence and simplicity of thought always ensured calmness. His loving family comprising him, Bhuvana Anni and Arunashree enhanced relationships in smiles per hour. That such a happy and nice person had to endure hardships in hospital make you question the very presence of God. He should have had some more time and a man with a happy journey was denied a happy ending. We can only feel numb weighing the magnitude of this loss and praying for early restoration of peace and strength to Bhuvana Anni, Arunashree and his close family. Rest in Peace, Mohan Anna

#mohan anna

KUPPURAJ ANNA June 23 2025 The demise of Kuppuraj Murugan Anna comes across as a terrible news. Kuppuraj Anna has been serving as the Manager of Kasturi Sreenivasan Art Gallery and Textile museum with great dignity and distinction. I got to know about him from artist Jeeva Anna and we got introduced during an Art Exhibition. Kuppuraj Anna never failed to acknowledge or greet a person even when he is running to packed schedule. He was a welcoming person and his presence was a boost for both the exhibitors and the general public. I fondly remember sitting with him in his office and having a discussion for 10 minutes. He could easily initiate a conversation and his warmth and smile would ensure that the conversation was both memorable and meaningful. He had ensured that the art gallery and textile museum not only flourished over time but also nourished a new generation of artists and knowledge seekers. He has left a void that will be impossible to fill. May his soul attain peace and may his near and dear be blessed to go through this ordeal. Coimbatore would have to do without such an exemplary soul.

#kuppurajmurugan #kuppurajanna

DILIP DOSHI SIR June 23 2025 I have a fancy for cricketers who wear spectacles while bowling and thats how I was drawn to Dilip Doshi Sir. That he made international debut at 32 and played 33 Tests in 4 years speaks volumes of his discipline. The left arm spinner's Chennai connect of having made his debut and picking up his 100th wicket at good old Chepauk is part of cricketing trivia. In cricketing folklore, I am sure he will bracketed with Padmalkar Shivalkar and Rajinder Goel and bracketed between Bishen Bedi and Ravi Shastri. I have read a lot of things about him - he being dubbed a thinking cricketer, his close association with Sir Gary Sobers and his introduction of Mont Blac Pens. I was surprised to read that he was following the test match at Leeds closely before his death. I wanted to read his autobiography SPIN PUNCH but in vain.

Indian cricket has lost one of its precious gems. May his soul rest in peace. May his near and dear be blessed with strength to overcome this tragic loss.

#dilipdoshi

DR R SUNDARARAJAN SIR May 29 2025 I am pained to hear the loss of Sundararajan Sir, a veteran academician in the field of Civil Engineering in Coimbatore. My interactions with Sundararajan Sir was very minimal even as he was serving as the Head of Department for Civil Engineering when I was pursuing Masters in Environmental Engineering at good old GCT. I know him more as my father's friend than as a Professor. In the only time, we ran into each other at GCT, he spoke to me for a couple of minutes after knowing that I am SRP's son. He told me that having the support of a wonderful father, I should progress beyond anyone's thought. He also emphasized that his success was only because of the sound backing of his father and asked me to soar high having such a wonderful father. A man of few words, but they were always profound and prudent. I met him once when he joined Karpagam University (KAHE) and couldn't talk much. I have heard a lot about his commitment to duty, minimalistic approach in management and keeping a low profile. I am sure all people who had the honour of knowing him would agree with me. The academic fraternity of Civil Engineering has lost a gem. May his soul rest in peace and may his achievements keep inspiring generations to come.

#drrsundararajan #sundararajansir

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