Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

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uday_shankar
Posts: 1475
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:37

Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by uday_shankar »

I regret to inform fellow rasikas that my father-in-law Shri Soolamangam M Rammohan, rasika par excellence and the founder of Sunaadam Trust passed away this morning at 9:30 AM at 17/9 5th Cross Karpagam Gardens, Adyar Chennai 600020 (tel 24460663). He was 79.

One of the early veterans in the IT field, Shri Rammohan was a gifted musician, engaging raconteur of stories and anecdotes and an excellent public speaker. He continued his grandfather Shri Soolamangal Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar's and his father Shri Meenakshisundaram's tradition of conductiing annual Radha Kalyanam Utsavams. His bhajanai sessions in Zambia in the 60's and 70's are the stuff of legends. Such was his musical ability that he could play the tabla, khanjira or mridangam and sing simultaneously.

Shri Rammohan's recollection of vivid memories of first hand experience of the great musicians of yesteryears staying and performing in his grandfather's house and his personal interactions with them in the 1930's, 40's and 50's were a vital link to a glorious past...such stalwarts as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Mazhavarayanendal Subbarama Bhagavathar, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer, Tiger Varadhachari, TN Rajarathinam Pillai, Tiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer, Thanjavaur Vaidyanatha Iyer, Palghat Mani Iyer and others came alive in his recollections.

It is a matter of great personal regret that I am stuck in the US at this time :(.

rajeshnat
Posts: 10144
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by rajeshnat »

Uday
Condolences to you and your family

cienu
Posts: 2392
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by cienu »

Heartfelt Condolences Uday.

sridhar_ranga
Posts: 809
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 11:36

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by sridhar_ranga »

Condolences.

arasi
Posts: 16877
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by arasi »

Uday,
Sorry to hear of his passing away. Last year, even though he was not feeling well, he worked with such devotion in conducting the annual festival which he cherished. A rich life indeed. He will be missed by many. I met him and your mother-in-law briefly last season. Sympathy to all the family.
May his good work continue.

thanjavooran
Posts: 3059
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by thanjavooran »

Shri Udai avl,
My heartfelt condolences to you and your family

Thanjavooran

VK RAMAN
Posts: 5009
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:29

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by VK RAMAN »

Uday: Sorry to hear the news. May his legacy motivate CM torch bearers and soul rest in peace.

Sathej
Posts: 586
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:23

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by Sathej »

Uday, My condolences to you and family..

Sathej

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by rshankar »

Uday - heartfelt condolences to you and and your family!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by cmlover »

Deeply grieved! Pl accept our heartfelt condolences.
This is a serious loss to the Rasika Community. Trust both you and Radhika will carry on his Tradition...

mahavishnu
Posts: 3341
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by mahavishnu »

sincere condolences.

ksrimech
Posts: 1050
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:25

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by ksrimech »

Heartfelt condolences to you and your family.

rbharath
Posts: 2333
Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 10:50

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by rbharath »

uday, radhika and meera,

my heartfelt condolences for the loss. may god give u courage to overcome this.

bharath

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10958
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Uday, Condolences to you, your wife and family.

rajumds
Posts: 715
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 11:16

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by rajumds »

Uday, shocked to know about the demise of your father in law. Such a towering personality, full of enthusiasm for all good things in life. It is a big loss to the music world. My heartfelt condolences.

Shivadasan
Posts: 251
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 07:52

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by Shivadasan »

Dear Uday,

It is indeed a sad news that a great traditionalist passed away. I could not reply earlier because of login problems. Hope our generation would do something to remember the contribution of Soolamangalam family.
Shivadasan

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by bilahari »

My heartfelt condolences to you and your family, Uday.

1920veeyens
Posts: 32
Joined: 28 Mar 2010, 23:18

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by 1920veeyens »

My memory goes back 60s when computerisation was introduced in Integral Coach Factory Madras and when I had to interract with Sri Rammohan who was drafted to the newly formed Data processing group. Might be due to our personal interest in music in general and Nama sangeertham in paticular, we spent more time discussing music than devising system procedure. After his departure to Zambia, i lost contact with him.My heart felt condolences to his family May his soul rest in peace

ninjathegreat
Posts: 301
Joined: 25 Oct 2005, 22:07

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by ninjathegreat »

Uday,

Belated condolences to you and your family. It is indeed a great loss to the carnatic world.

Do you live in the LA area?

uday_shankar
Posts: 1475
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:37

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by uday_shankar »

On behalf of the family, thank you all for the outpouring of condolences both here and by email. Carnatic music is an amazing thing that bonds people.

Ninja, I'm visiting Pittsburgh. Will be back in Chennai next week.

veeyens sir,
We are thrilled to hear of your recollections of Shri Rammohan at ICF. I hope we can visit you when I'm back in chennai. Please email me all particulars via rasikas.

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Uday: After my return from Cleveland when I was thumbing thro my late father's archives I came across a booklet that was released in 2003-a brief reproduction of a series of articles written in the fifties outlining Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar's(SVB) pioneering efforts to start the Thyagaraja Aradhana--and things started to fall in place. in my memory. Around 2002 or so,I remember your FIL Mr.Ram Mohan visiting my father in R.A.Puram and my father presiding over a function honoring SVB's contributions--I am not sure whether it was a list of Krihis or a book release.

I recall my father introducing me to him and lamenting(as my father always does) about the indifference of the Chennai sabhas towards pioneers like SVB and their heirs who have preserved traditions. Going thro the booklet I mentioned(it is titled in Tamil Thiruvaiyaru Sree Thyagabrahma Aradhanai Utsava Varalru(an Account of the origins of the Thiruvaiyaru Aradhana tradition written by Soolamangalam V Radhakrishna Iyer--S/O of SVB) one can see what dedication SVB had towards the Saint and what obstacles he faced ,

Mind you-- it was a full 60 years after the Saint had passed away--several musicians in the lineage--Patnam, Subramani Iyer,Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer who all followed soon after the saint's death and yet it remained for SVB coming fifty years later to initiate the concept of homage to a Great Saint.
Condolences to you and your family and hope some of the archives that your FIL must have assiduously accumulated could be revived.It would be interesting to see whether Thyagaraja's compositions could be laid out in some period order that might give some insights into the Saint's own mellowing over the years considering that he lived till he was eighty.

Enjoyed our tete-a-tete @ the Cleveland Aradhana in the company of Ajit,VKV and Trichur Ramachandran. Come December 2010 if you would be in Chennai let's round up some of our rasikas and have a ball reviving old tales and music!!!

1920veeyens
Posts: 32
Joined: 28 Mar 2010, 23:18

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by 1920veeyens »

Sri Uday, I am denied the pleasure of meeting you in Chennai as I am based in S.California and as on date I have no plans of visiting India in the near future. May Sri Rama bless yo u, veeyens

ramu
Posts: 2
Joined: 14 Apr 2012, 03:41

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by ramu »

I belong to Tirumayam where Ram Mohan's father Dr. meenaakshi Sundaram Iyer served as as Government Doctor His son Ram mohan was a student of my almamater Alagappa College , being the first batch student of B.Com. i am sorry to know about his demise He was a fine Kanjira player and I had seen him acompanying Vidvans who came over to Triumayam at the invitation of his father and sung in some of the family functions. May his soul rest in peace

ramu
Posts: 2
Joined: 14 Apr 2012, 03:41

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by ramu »

I belong to Tirumayam where Ram Mohan's father Dr. meenaakshi Sundaram Iyer served as as Government Doctor His son Ram mohan was a student of my almamater Alagappa College , being the first batch student of B.Com. i am sorry to know about his demise He was a fine Kanjira player and I had seen him acompanying Vidvans who came over to Triumayam at the invitation of his father and sung in some of the family functions. May his soul rest in peace

thanjavooran
Posts: 3059
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Soolamangalam M Rammohan passes away

Post by thanjavooran »

After going through the messages once again I recollect my old memories. Sri Ram Mohan Avl was instrumental in setting up a new organisation called Shanmukananda Sabha for the cultural benefit of ICF families in early 60s. I do not know whether this is functioning now.

Thanjavooran 16 04 2012

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