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A legacy preserved

Thanks to the efforts of Chennai-based K. Ramamurthi, six Indian Prime Ministers have read Subramania Bharati's work "Swadanthra Pallu"

INSPIRED BY BHARATI K. Ramamurthi

Six Indian Prime Ministers have read Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's impassioned `Swadanthra Pallu' (The Freedom Song). Thanks to a rendering in English by `Bharathi Kaavalar' K. Ramamurthi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Behari Vajpayee, during their tenures as PM, went over the lines of this poem that Bharati wrote in anticipation of India's freedom from the British. Chennai-based Ramamurthi is devoted to Bharati's philosophy and feels a compelling need to share the poet's principles pertaining to practical affairs with heads of State. Through `The Freedom Song', Ramamurthi was trying to communicate the socialist aspirations of Bharati to these six leaders.

Dedicated to Bharati

Ramamurthi says the patriot-poet's rare talent with words and social thinking aroused him to a unique poetic creativity and the man never fails to acknowledge his indebtedness — Ramamurthi's latest book of short illustrated poems `Soul Of The Sea Speaks' that was partly provoked by the tsunami has been dedicated to the Mahakavi.

Ramamurthi once launched a unique movement called `Bharati For Every Home' and distributed over 1,00,000 photos of the fiery Tamil bard. And for 25 years, he has been conducting an annual programme to spread Bharati's principles.

In political and literary circles, Ramamurthi has been praised for his singular effort to preserve Bharati's legacy. Rajiv Gandhi says in a letter, "I am glad to hear of your work in spreading the message of the poet." Last year, president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam conferred a rare award on him for his works (most of his research papers and 53 books have been inspired by the poet's example) on Bharati. Appreciation has come from other quarters as well — he was honoured with an Award of Merit at the Fifth World Congress of Poets at San Fransisco for his research paper on the Indian poet.

Ramamurthi cherishes one honour above everything else — Bharathidasan, on whom Bharati had an inspiring influence, called Ramamurthi the most fit to protect and preserve the great poet's legacy and gave him the title `Bharathi Kaavalar' by which he is identified today.

PRINCE FREDERICK

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