Sarangapany, Govindasamy (1903– 1974) Editor and social activist. Born in Tamil Nadu, Govindasamy Sarangapany— popularly known as Thamizhavel— was educated in India. At the age of 21, he left for Singapore to seek his fortune. Soon after he arrived, he was given a clerical job in a shop in Market Street and rose to become its manager. Soon, fired by revolutionary zeal, he tried to awaken the Tamil- speaking masses in Singapore and Malaya through the power of the pen. In 1929, he founded and edited two Tamil news bulletins, Munnetram (Progress), a weekly, and Seerthirutham (Reformation), a monthly. In 1930, he and two friends formed the Tamil Reformist Club, which led to the formation in 1932 of the Tamils Reform Association. It was this association that launched the Tamil weekly, Tamil Murasu (Tamil Drum), on 6 July 1935. Initially, the paper sold only 200 copies at one cent each. Sarangapany peddled it from house to house and gave away unsold copies to poor Tamils. By May 1936, circulation exceeded 5,000.

In 1954, when the colonial government allowed immigrants from Commonwealth countries to obtain Singapore citizenship by registration, Sarangapany persuaded 20,000 Tamils to register. In 1960, Tamil Murasu collected $16,000 for the setting up of Umar Pulavar Tamil Secondary School. Sarangapany was also instrumental in getting more than 50 organizations— representing various sectional interests of the Tamil- speaking community— to work together through the Tamil Representative Council and the annual Tamil Festival.

Sarangapany remained at the helm of Tamil Murasu until his death. In 1998, the paper was sold to publishing group Singapore Press Holdings.

Photo credit: Singapore Press Holdings/ Tamil Murasu