Doyenne of Hindu scholars, Thangamma Appakuti, celebrates 81st birthday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 January 2006, 15:14 GMT]
The eighty first birthday celebrations of Ms Thangamma Appakuti, the endeared savant of Tamil and Hindu culture, was celebrated Saturday 12.00 noon in a simple ceremony held at Tellipalai Thurkai Amman Temple Cultural Hall, sources from Jaffna said. Dr K Sivalingarajah, K Thevarajah and Dr S Nithiananthan from Jaffna University and many other well wishers were present at the ceremony.

Reprint of the book interpreting a Tamil epic, "Nalavenpa," was released during the event. Swami Somasundara Thirugnanasampantha Paramachariyar of Nallai Atheenam released the book dedicted to Ms Thangamma Appakuti.

Born on 7.1.1925 in Tellipalai in Jaffna district , Ms Appakuti passed out as a Pundit in Tamil language and literature. She dedicated herself for the development of Saivaism and Tamil language and became the trustee of the Tellipalai Thurgai Thevasthanam thirty years ago.

She founded the Saiva Tamil Research Library, Sivathamilchelvi Annai Illam, Sri Thurga Devi Annachathiram and Thurgapuram Women Home and have been involved in the administration of these institution. Saiva community conferred her with the title "Thurga Thuranthari" for her services to Saivaism and Tamil.

Social Service Ministry conferred the title "Kalasuri" on her in 1991 and the Jaffna University conferred honorary doctorate on her in 1998 for her services rendered for the development of education and religion in Jaffna.