Chennai:
Well-known Periyarist and psychotherapist Abdullha Periyardasan (64) passed away on Monday. As per his wishes, his family donated his eyes and his body to students of Madras Medical College.
A multi-faceted personality, Periyardasan was known for interpreting Periyar’s rationalist philosophy in simple terms for the common man. He acted in Tamil film Karuthamma which won a national award.
Periyardasan had climbed his way up from a middleclass family at Perambur in Chennai, studied in RBCCC School and got degrees in Tamil literature, history and philosophy from Pachaiyappa’s College. He did his Ph.D. in philosophy at Oxford University.
After his studies, he joined Pachaiyappa’s College as lecturer and continued to work for 34 years. Even after his retirement, he worked as visiting faculty. He impressed upon his family members to donate his body to medical students.
The general secretary of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, Kovai, Ramakrishnan, said Periyarism, Ambedkarism, Communism and Buddhism were Periyardasan’s forte.
“He spread rationalist thoughts with his hilarious speeches and educated the masses. He had addressed over 1,000 meetings in his lifetime carrying Periyar’s messages to the public,” he said. He added, “Born as a Hindu, he became an atheist in his teens influenced by Periyar but then he switched to Buddhism and later in his life, he went to Mecca and converted into a Muslim in 2010,” he said.
He wrote over 50 books, including a translation of Ambedkar’s last book. His son Valavan, a child rights activist, said Periyardasan was among the four persons invited by the world religion conference in 1983 and he talked on Buddhism. He is survived by wife Vasantha and two sons Valavan and Suradha.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / by Pramila Krishnan, DC / Tuesday – August 21st, 2013