Tamil poet Pulamaipithan, who penned lyrics for Mammootty's Tamil hit, passes away

Chennai: Tamil film lyricist, poet and scholar Pulamaipithan, who penned songs for leading luminaries including the iconic former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan, passed away on Wednesday at a hospital here due to age related ailments.

Pulamaipithan became Malayali’s favourite by penning the evergreen melody song ‘Kalyana then nila kaaikaatha paal nila’ for the Tamil movie ‘Mounam Sammatham’ starred by megastar Mammootty and Amala Akkineni.

He was 86. This Arasavai Kavignar (poet laureate) was also a songwriter for younger actors like Vijay. Pulavar’ (poet) Pulamaipithan served as deputy chairman of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council. He was also AIADMK’s presidium chairman.

He was admitted to a private hospital here on August 31 and was put on life support. His condition deteriorated and his end came this morning, a statement from the hospital said.

Born on October 6, 1935 in Irugur, Coimbatore, Ramasamy, who is known by his pen name Pulavar Pulamaipithan initially worked in a textile mill and worked as teacher after he migrated to Chennai in 1964 nursing the ambition of becoming a lyricist. He quit the job after becoming a lyricist. Pulamaipithan shot to fame through the song Naan yaar, nee yaar in the film Kudiirundha Koyil in 1968.