Veteran Tamil newspaper Editor Sivagurunathan passes away

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 August 2003, 13:40 GMT]
Mr.R. Sivagurunathan, a veteran Tamil journalist who held the post of Chief Editor of the Tamil daily THINAKARAN for about thirty three years, passed away peacefully early morning Saturday after a brief illness in Colombo at the age of seventy-two, media sources said.

Mr.Sivagurunathan held the post of President of Colombo Thamil Sangam at the time of his death. He was also a lawyer and a lecturer at the Ceylon Law College, and the Open University, sources said. He was conferred with the title “ Kalasuri” by the Sri Lankan government for his services rendered for the development of journalism in Sri Lanka.

He was born on October 7,.1931 at Kantharmadam in Jaffna. He had his primary education at Jaffna St.John’ College and later at Colombo Zahira College. A graduate of the University of Peradeniya, he later obtained his MA in Journalism from the Jaffna University.

He joined Thinakaran as a sub-editor in 1955 and also served for some time in Dinamina, a Sinhala daily published by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. He was promoted as News Editor of Thinakaran in 1957. He was appointed Chief Editor of Thinakaran in 1961 and continued in the post till 1994. He served as the President of Working Journalists Association of Sri Lanka and was also a member of the Press Council for a considerable period.

”Mr.Sivagurunathan was considered a beacon for the young Tamil journalists in the island. His demise is an irreparable loss for Tamil journalism in the country,” said Mr.R.Thurairetnam, President of the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance, in his condolence message.

“He worked for the betterment of journalists irrespective race, religion and other differences as the President of the Ceylon Working Journalists Association,” said Mr.Thurairetnam in his condolence message. “His services for the promotion of Tamil journalism will be remembered in the country forever.”

The funeral of late Mr.Sivagurunathan is to take place Sunday evening at the Kanatte cemetry in Colombo, according to his family.