Iconic Tamil political master and editor Srinaivasa Iyer Ramaswamy, who was fondly called Cho Ramaswamy, breathed his last on December 7 at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai. The 82-year-old Cho was admitted to the hospital on November 29 for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).
Here’s a bit about him:
1. Cho Ramaswamy called Modi a “merchant of death” at a public function in his presence but even Modi laughed.
The feisty Cho Ramaswamy introduces me as the ‘Merchant of Death.’ Do watch this memorable interaction. https://t.co/2FsF64sVvH
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2016
2. Modi called him his “raj guru” (political master). This is why the PM paid glowing tributes to Cho on Twitter.
Cho Ramaswamy was a multidimensional personality, towering intellectual, great nationalist & fearless voice who was respected and admired.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2016
Above all, Cho Ramaswamy was a dear friend. I have been to his annual readers meeting which were an unprecedented editor reader interface.
Advertisement— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2016
Cho Ramaswamy was insightful, frank & brilliant. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family & countless readers of Thuglak.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2016
3. Cho was a close aide and friend of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who passed away just two days ago at the same hospital.
Coincidentally, like Jayalalithaa, Cho, too, was born in Karnataka.
This video of 2Stalwarts brings a Tear to the eye #Jayalalithaa meets #ChoRamaswamy in Hospital
Both now departed
RIP Cho Ramaswamy#RipAmma pic.twitter.com/5B2d66eAY0— Rosy (@rose_k01) December 7, 2016
4. Ramaswamy was an acclaimed actor, scriptwriter, and film director in Tamil cinema.
He made his debut in 1963 and continued acting till 2005.
Cho Ramaswamy (2nd from right) at a reading.
5. Ramaswamy was also the founder and editor of Tamil magazine ‘Thuglak’.
The magazine titled after the Delhi sultanate emperor Mohammed Bin Thuglaq, on whom Cho had written a stage play.
The homepage of Thuglak magazine’s online edition with an obituary on Cho Ramaswamy. Thuglak
6. The epithet ‘Cho’ was given to him after the name of a character in one his plays.
PM Modi calls upon Cho Ramaswamy at his residence in Chennai in August 2015.
7. Superstar Rajinikanth, too, was a great friend of Cho Ramaswamy.
.@superstarrajini pays his last respects to his close friend, late #choRamaswamyhttps://t.co/wai32RM1l2 pic.twitter.com/JhkVH8flO4
— Behindwoods (@behindwoods) December 7, 2016
8. He was one of the rare few editors who was ‘biased’ to those who worked for the good of the people.
Though Cho was acerbic in his criticism of the Left about whom he famously remarked: “If the Left has any future in India, then India has no future left.”
The best of #ChoRamaswamy: “How can a Journalist be non-partisan? One has to be partisan to take side of the good. Be proud to be partisan.”
— Yashwant Deshmukh (@YRDeshmukh) December 7, 2016
9. Ramaswamy was a prominent anti-Emergency leader in the 1970s.
It was this event that propelled him to the political arena.
File photo of a young Cho Ramaswamy. Outlook
10. MGR, and later Jayalalithaa herself, consulted Cho when the former actress was about to make her foray into politics.
Via WhatsApp #choramaswamy #jayalalithaa pic.twitter.com/QoUML36sHp
— Madhavan Narayanan (@madversity) December 7, 2016
11. Cho called Jayalalithaa “the Sita of politics”, and praised her for her people friendly policies and helping in the development of the state.
But Cho had also criticised Jayalalithaa when he felt that the latter was not making her best efforts.
This 2011 photo shows DMDK leader Vijayakanth (extreme left), Cho Ramaswamy, J Jayalalithaa and then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi at Jayalalithaa’s swearing-in ceremony in Chennai.
The illustrious Cho leaves behind a tome from which current generation of political commentators, media personalities and so-called guardians of liberalism can draw lessons from.
