Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Adieu, TGV

Sir, — T.G. Vaidyanathan, a man who touched so many young and old minds alike by his passionate writings, intense personal discussions and delightful insights into Indian cultural and social life, including two of his pet passions — cinema and cricket — will be sorely missed.

I recall fondly a brief meeting with him last summer. Then he seemed to be still going strong. His undying spirit was there for all to see — critical analysis, trenchant critique of existing mores, and love of life.

That day he read out aloud (as was his style) from Vidia Naipaul's Area of Darkness, pages from the chapter where Sir Vidia goes (or comes?) to his grandfather's village. His voice choked with emotion and his eyes filled with tears.

Life was always intensely experienced by TGV who valued above everything else the joy of an artful and forceful expression of what life was all about — in words, as in all art forms. Truly a man of letters.

His most memorable words that day to me were, "creativity is the thinking of the unknown, the unknown possible." He stressed on the need for including the last word in that definition. That is what challenged him.

I know that TGV must still be creating, for no one could take that away from him.

Murli Natrajan,
Ames, Iowa, U.S.

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