Poet M.L.Thangappa

Among the poets who belong to Bharatidasan School, M.L.Thangappa (1934) is a rare personality. He is an English scholar and has an exemplary proficiency of Tamil classics and grammar. In his poems we can not see even a single word borrowed from other languages. The chaste Tamil diction is mingled with powerful expression in his poems. At the same time he avoids, a pedantic and pompous style, which will form an iron curtain to the readers from the author.

Simple and elegant style is the unique feature in his poem..

M.Lenin Thangappa served as an English teacher in High schools at Tamilnadu and Puducherry for more than a decade. Later he did is Masters Degree in Tamil and switched over to Tamil teaching at Government arts colleges in Puducherry. He retired from service in 1994.

He was a close associate of late Perunchiththiranar, another Tamil poet of the Bharatidasan School and founder-Editor of “Thenmozhi”,a literary journal of repute.

In 1973 M.L.Thangappa’s first volume of poems,”Paadukinren”, was published. Sixteen volumes of his poems have been published till dateThedukinren (1980),

Aandhaip paattu(1983),Adich chuvadukal(1983),veppang kanigal(1985),Kallum mondhaiyum(1987),Iyarkaiyaatruppadai(1989),Mayakkuru makkal (1990),Akamum puramum(1991),Pinnirundhu oru kural(1992),Panip paarai nunikal(1998),Puyarp paattu(2000), and Paattenum vaal etuppay(2008) are his other compilations got published.

He has also authored books for the children. Four volumes of poems have been published by him for children.

Eight volumes which consist of compilation of his essays have also been published.

M.L.Thangappa is an internationally acclaimed translator of Sangam classics. His

translation work of sangam classics titled” Hues and Harmonies from an ancient land” got an overwhelming response from scholars when it was published in 1970.It seems he is planning to bring out more translations of Sangam classics

in a second volume, soon.

Songs of Grace (Translation of selected hymns from St.Ramalinga’s Thiruvarutpa) published in 1985, Selected Poems from Baratidasan (1992), and House of Darkness (Translation of Bharatidasan’s narrative poem titked ‘Irunda vidu’) published in 1996 are his other translation works.

A volume of poems in English titled” Meadow Flowers” has been published by him (1984), which stands as an evidence for his scholarship and creative talent in English.

Many Russian poems were translated into Tamil by him, from their English texts.

.In 1991, he received the Bharatidasan award from the Government of Tamilnadu .Many literary associations and NGOs have honored him with awards. He is an active member in many voluntary organizations and doing his service to the land and community, thereby proving he practices what he propagates.