Pandit S. Rasiah was a scholar in Tamil language and literature; Obtained the degree of Tamil Pandit from Madurai Tamil Sangam; Lectured at the Government Teachers Training Colleges at Addalaichennai, Kopay and Colombogam from 1950 to 1967; written a number of Tamil poems. Pandithamani S Kanapathipillai and Principal Myliddy S. Swaminathan were his dedicated teachers. Vidwan N. K. Velan is his favourite students;
Background
Pandit S Rasiah was born on 6 November in 1912 in Nallur, Jaffna, Sri Lanka as the eldest son to Subramanium and Chidambaram. He lost his mother at the age of 16 years and lost his three sisters and one brother at the young age. One of his brothers survived.
Education
Obtained his primary education from Roman Catholic School, Thirunelvely, secondary education from Government Kopay Sadhana School. At the age of 16 joined Thirunelvelly Saiva Teachers Training College for two years and graduated as Tamil Trained Teacher (Chavarria College, Tirunelveli, Jaffna);
In 1937, at the age of 24 years, he graduated as Madurai Tamil Pundit from the Madurai Tamil Sangam.
Career
Pandit S Rasiah's 37 years teaching career began at the age of 18 years with the Vadiliyaddaipu Saivaprakasa Vidyasalai (Vidyalaya Seedaprakasas School) for three years, followed by teaching at Thirunelvelly Muthuthambi Vidiyasalai from 1935. In 1941, he joined Senguntha Hindu College, Thirunelvelly East, Jaffna and left to Muthuthamby Vidiyasali after a year.
In October. 1949, he became a Lecturer with the Government Teachers Training College in Addalaichenai, Eastern Province for a year and moved to Kopay Government Ladies Teachers Training College where he lectured for 13 years. In 1963, he joined Colombagam Teachers Training College and served as Lecturer for 5 years. Due to illness, he retired from Teaching profession at the age of 55 years in 1967.
Religion
Subramanium was a devoted Saivites and refrained from meat-eating, drinking, and smoking.
Personality
Pandit S Rasiah is well-known for discipline and dedication. He expected Perfection in any task. He is also known for humorous talk; kind hearted personality and helped the needy with his means. He had extraordinary memory power and developed interests in maths, geography, poetry and astrology. He loved travelling and been to many parts of SrinLanka and overseas, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
His had the ability to compose poems with perfection and simplicity. His poems included Unchal (ஊஞ்சல்) poems for Poothavarayar Temple and Saddanathar Temple; Chariot poems to Saddanathar Temple and Sydney Murugan Temple; wedding wishing poems for many newly wed couples; poems to remember the departed, saints YogaxAwami and Swami Vipulananda; college songs, Saiva Teachers Training College, Kopay Teachers Traing College And Colombagam Teachers a Training College.
Connections
His grandfather was the son of Poonagari Maravankuruchi Ganapathiyar. His father was Sadiyar Subramanium (tobacco merchant) from Nallur and mother was Chithambaram. His birth star is Aththam.
He was the eldest of the family of six children (3 daughters and 3 sons). His three sisters and one brother passed away at their young age. His brother Dr. Nadarajah was a well-known astrologer and clerical servant in government. He (25 years) married to Ponnammah (16 years), daughter of Thambu Somasundaram and Thangamma, from Nallur, Jaffna in 1938. His Guru, Pandithamamani S. Kanapathipillai wrote a poem (see below) to wish the couple.
They had 11 children (2 daughter and 9 sons. Unfortunately, The first son died at the age of 7 years due to typhoid. The children's are Mrs. Indravei Kanagalingam; Sri Skandarajah (deceased); Sri Shanmugarajah; Dr. Sri Ravindrarajah; Sri Tharan; Sri Pathy; Sri Sivakumaran; Sri Kanthan; Sri Indran; Mrs. Kanchana Ramanathan; and Sri Rankan.