Sudhangan

Sudhangan born Rangarajan (4 October 1958 – 12 September 2020) was an Indian Tamil journalist, reporter, editor, television presenter, columnist, political analyst and actor who also acted in few films and television soap operas. He was regarded as a pillar of investigative journalism in Tamil media and was well known for his publications based on Tamil cinema and politics. He had also published short stories and a novel. He was also well known for close links with prominent politicians of Tamil Nadu including late Jayalalitha.

Career

He pursued an interest in reading and writing reports at his young age. He pursued his early career as a reporter for Tamil weekly ''Thisaikal'' in 1978. After working for about six months with ''Thisaikal'', he joined the '' Kumudam'' magazine as a freelance reporter. He eventually had to change his birth name of Rangarajan to Sudhangan soon after joining the Kumudam group in order to avoid naming confusions with another ''Kumudam'' editor Ra. Ki. Rangarajan who had already achieved success in the journalism.

He then left the ''Kumudam'' magazine and joined the ''Vikatan'' group in 1982. He joined the Junior Vikatan as an editor and he literally introduced new reporting methods and techniques especially paving way for investigative journalism. He also became the chief editor of the magazine and served in the position until 1992. He also later joined the Tamil weeklies ''Dinamani'' and ''Tamilan Express''.

His popular book titled ''Suttachu Suttachu'' became a bestseller in Tamil Nadu which depicted about the creative differences and dispute between veteran actors M. G. Ramachandran and M. R. Radha. Sudhangan initially published the work as an editorial publication for ''Dinamani'' based on the failed assassination attempt of MGR in January 1967. The work was later adapted as a book titled ''Suttachu Suttachu''.

Sudhangan then joined the television industry producing and presenting television shows. He joined the Star Vijay in 1996 initially as a political analyst for a political reality television program. He later joined ''Minbimbangal'' of late veteran film director K. Balachandar and hosted programmes related to parliamentary elections. He also joined Jaya TV in 2001 and worked as a television presenter with the channel until 2005.

He was also critical of modern depiction of journalism in media and films stating that the modern day journalism in Tamil Nadu is unable to convey a precise and clear message to the society. He won The Statesman Award in Kolkata for his outstanding achievements in the field of journalism. To date, he is the only South Indian journalist to have received the award.

Death

Sudhangan died of a lung ailment on 12 September 2020 at the age of 63.

Filmography

* ''Anthimanthaarai'' (1996)
* '' Kaatrukkenna Veli'' (2001)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sudhangan
1957 births
2020 deaths
Indian journalists
Indian columnists
Indian writers
Indian novelists
Indian short story writers
Indian male actors
Indian television talk show hosts
Indian reporters and correspondents
Indian political writers
Indian political journalists
Indian editors
Male actors in Tamil cinema
Tamil male actors
21st-century Tamil male actors
Indian Tamil academics
Scholars from Tamil Nadu
Tamil writers
Tamil-language writers