Mr: S.MUTHAIAH:(Kanadukathan).

S.Muthaiah is the name that most Chennaites are familiar with.  As the editor of Madras Musings.  As the author of several books on Madras and its culture.  As a columnist, as the man who tried to initiate the people of the city to its rich heritage.

On Mar 7th, at a simple and brief ceremony in Chennai, Subbiah Muthaiah, historian, writer, publisher and editor, was made an 'Honorary Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire' by British Deputy High Commissioner Micheal Herridge and Environment Conservation.'

Ask him about the award and he replies, 'the award is for valiantly losing battles regularly!  For never being able to save the buildings that we talk about.  Or trying to clean up a city, something we have never been able to do!'.

He also feels, he would have been happier with an academic recognition.  But he is very happy the British recogonised something that the others have not! 

Muthaiah may appear to be a man in the crowd-simple, unassuming, soft spoken but his accomplishments are outstanding.

According to him, Madras his passion over decades, represents the genesis of modern India.  To this city belong the oldest engineering college and municipal corporation outside Europe, the country's first modern library and the oldest regiment of the Indian Army, and the first Indian hospital and the oldest ophthalmic institute in Asia.  And it was in Madras that the Western education system was first introduced in the country.  The various influences on the city-Cholas, Pallava, British, Dutch, Portuguese and Sri lankan- reflected in the buildings, architecture, monuments, museums, hospitals, and education and communication systems "are now ours and we need to preserve and protect them," he says with passion.

HIS BIO-DATA:

Educated in Sri Lanka, India and the U.S.  Degrees: B.Sc. (Engineering), A.B., M.A., (International Affairs).

  With The Times of Ceylon from 1951 to 1968.  Was its Foreign News Editor, then Features Editor, besides being in charge of the Sunday Times, the Group’s magazine publications and The Times of Ceylon Annual.  Represented in Ceylon, from 1954, first, the London News Chronicle, then the London Daily Mail  till 1968.   Also represented in Ceylon, from 1959 to 1968, The Observer, London, and its Foreign News Service.  Was also associated with the production of various Ceylon Tourist Board Publications.

  1968-1990 in charge of TT Maps & Publications Ltd (a unit of the TTK Group), which publishes maps, atlases and tourist guidebooks and has a large offset printing unit for its work.  Retired as President of the Company in October 1990, but continue as President Emeritus.  While at TT Maps, conceived, edited, designed and supervised the production of all its publications – more than 15 titles a year.

  The association with the TTK Group continues as its Director, Group Communications, and Editor of its prize-winning house journal, TTK Spectrum.  Also work as an Information Consultant and freelance editor for various institutions and publishers.  This is through his editorial consultancy service, Madras Editorial Services.

  Association with The Observer continued  till 1972 and have since then been a regular contributor to Gemini News Service and Compass New Features, London.  Also writes for various airline, travel and hotel glossies and for overseas and local publishers of travel books.  Since 1991, have edited Madras Musings, a city fortnightly concerned with the City’s heritage and environment.

  Author of 16 books with historical backgrounds -- `Madras `Rediscovered’, `Tales of Old and New Madras’, Madras – The Gracious City’, `Madras – Its Past and its Present’, `Parrys 200’, `The Parry Story’, `Getting India on the Move’, `A Planting Century’,  `Queen of The Coromandel’, `The Spirit of Chepauk’, `All in the Game’, `Looking back from Moulmein’, `The Chettiar Heritage’ (with Meenakshi Meyyappan and Visalakshi Ramaswamy), `The Ace of  Clubs’  and `The Splendour of South India’.  Also wrote `Words in Indian English’.  Edited `A Social and Economic Atlas of India’ and `An Atlas of India’ for Oxford University Press, Delhi, and produced for them by TT Maps, `Madras – Its Yesterdays, Todays and Tomorrows’, and `At Home, in Madras – A Handbook’, and `The Janashakthi  Book of Sri Lanka Cricket’.  Have also authored several geography text books.  He is currently working two books on `The Indian Contribution to Ceylon/Sri Lanka over the last 200 years’ and a biography of M.Ct.M. Chidambaram Chettiar.   

  Have been teaching Journalism and Print Production from 1972 at the Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Madras (for Government-recognised diplomas), Anna University and University of Madras.  Helped found India’s first degree course in Printing Technology at Anna University in 1980 and have represented the Department on the Board of Studies of the University.  Have also been on the Advisory Board of the Regional School of Printing, Madras.

  Have been an office-bearer of the Madras Printers’ and Lithographers’ Association, the All India Federation of Master Printers, the Booksellers’ and Publishers’ Association of South India, the Federation of Indian Publishers, the Indian Geography Association, the Indian National Cartographic Association and the Public Relations Society of India (Tamil Nadu Chapter).