Veteran Tamil Scholar and Padma Shri Awardee Solomon Pappaiah Passes Away at 90

11 September 2026National

Veteran Tamil scholar and orator Solomon Pappaiah died at the age of 90 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Born on 22 February 1936 at Sathangudi village near Thirumangalam in Madurai district, he headed the Department of Tamil at American College, Madurai, from 1961 to 1994. He became a household name through televised Pattimandram (Tamil debates), moderating more than 12,000 of them over his lifetime, and also appeared in Tamil films. In 2021 he received the Padma Shri for Literature and Education, becoming the first Pattimandram moderator to be given the honour, and had earlier won the Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani award in 2000.

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Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in India, after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan | Padma awards were instituted in 1954 and are announced on Republic Day | Kalaimamani is the highest award given by the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram for excellence in arts and letters

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