A. K. Chettiar
Encyclopedia
A. K. Chettiar was a Tamil
travelogue writer, journalist and documentary film maker from Tamil Nadu
, India. He is most notable for pioneering travelogue writing in Tamil and for his documentary on Mahatma Gandhi
.
, A. Karuppan Chettiar finished his schooling in Tiruvannamalai
. He was interested in travelling and started on a world tour in the 1930s. In 1935, he went to Japan to learn photography at the Imperial College of Technology, Tokyo and studied there for a year. In 1937, he joined the New York Institute of Photography
and completed a one-year diploma course in photography.
. The documentary originally had voice-overs in Tamil
and was later dubbed into Telugu
. After the initial screening, it was withdrawn from cinemas due to government censorship. Chettiar recorded some of his experiences in making the documentary in a series of articles in the magazine Kumari Malar (published by him) in 1943. These articles where eventually published in book form with the title Annal Adichuvattil (In the footsteps of the Mahatma).
After Indian independence in 1947, the documentary was dubbed into Hindi
and re-released. For a long time, it was believed to be lost. In 2006, an abridged version made in 1998 and dubbed in English was discovered at the San Francisco State University
due to historian A. R. Venkatachalapathy's efforts. Later another copy was found in the University of Pennsylvania
. However the original documentary and other language versions have not been found so far.
Chettiar first published a Tamil magazine called Dhanavanigan in Burma when he was twenty years old. In 1930, he helped to set up the magazine Ananda Vikatan
. From 1943 till his death in 1983, he edited and published Kumari Malar from Chennai
.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
travelogue writer, journalist and documentary film maker from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India. He is most notable for pioneering travelogue writing in Tamil and for his documentary on Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
.
Early years
Born in Kottaiyur in Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, A. Karuppan Chettiar finished his schooling in Tiruvannamalai
Tiruvannamalai
Thiruvannamalai is a pilgrimage Temple city and special grade municipality in Thiruvannamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Thiruvannamalai district. Thiruvannamalai is home to the Annamalaiyar Temple located at the foot of the Annamalai hill and...
. He was interested in travelling and started on a world tour in the 1930s. In 1935, he went to Japan to learn photography at the Imperial College of Technology, Tokyo and studied there for a year. In 1937, he joined the New York Institute of Photography
New York Institute of Photography
The New York Institute of Photography is a for-profit distance education school based out of New York City, offering different courses in photography to students all over the world...
and completed a one-year diploma course in photography.
Film
In 1937, he started work on the documentary Mahatma Gandhi: Twentieth Century Prophet. He set up a company named "Documentary Films Limited" and started collecting archival footage of Gandhi. He visited many places in India, London, and South Africa and acquired large amounts of archival footage. In addition he himself shot many contemporary scenes of Gandhi. After three years, he accumulated about 50000 feet (15,240 m) of film footage. Editing of the footage began on January 1940 and eventually 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) in documentary film was released on 23 August 1940. It received widespread coverage from the Indian press and a few international newspapers like The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. The documentary originally had voice-overs in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and was later dubbed into Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
. After the initial screening, it was withdrawn from cinemas due to government censorship. Chettiar recorded some of his experiences in making the documentary in a series of articles in the magazine Kumari Malar (published by him) in 1943. These articles where eventually published in book form with the title Annal Adichuvattil (In the footsteps of the Mahatma).
After Indian independence in 1947, the documentary was dubbed into Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and re-released. For a long time, it was believed to be lost. In 2006, an abridged version made in 1998 and dubbed in English was discovered at the San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
due to historian A. R. Venkatachalapathy's efforts. Later another copy was found in the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. However the original documentary and other language versions have not been found so far.
Writing
Chettiar is considered as "one of the foremost writers of modern travelogues in Tamil". He collected more than 140 travel essays in Tamil belonging to the 1825–1940 period, edited and published them as a book in 1940. His own travel essays were published first in 1940 as Ulagam surrum Tamilan (The Globe Trotting Tamil). He has written a total of seventeen travel books.Chettiar first published a Tamil magazine called Dhanavanigan in Burma when he was twenty years old. In 1930, he helped to set up the magazine Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த விகடன் is the leading Tamil language weekly magazine published from Chennai, India. It is part of the Vikatan group which also publishes Junior Vikatan , Chutti Vikatan , Aval Vikatan , Naanayam Vikatan , Sakthi Vikatan , Motor Vikatan and Pasumai Vikatan Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த...
. From 1943 till his death in 1983, he edited and published Kumari Malar from Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
.