Mala Lutchmanan has been remembered as an icon, a trailblazer, visionary, and devoted advocate of the Tamil language and culture.
A revered figure in the South African Tamil community, Lutchmanan passed away on Wednesday at the age of 64. She had just returned from India and Malaysia where she received an award.
Lutchmanan was honoured last week by the Overseas Tamil Sangam and the Chennai Tamil Sangam during a ceremony in Malaysia. She was recognised for her outstanding achievements and contribution, excellence in service in the development of Tamil art and culture, communal harmony and international relationship across the globe. In her Facebook post, she described this as an honour she accepted on behalf of all South Africans.
"Honoured and humbled to receive the Tamil Achiever of the Year 2024 Award on Karthigai Deepam, jointly, from the Overseas Tamil Sangam and the Chennai Tamil Sangam in Malaysia. I accepted on behalf of all South Africans."
Lutchmanan was an advocate for the Tamil language and culture, former radio presenter, teacher and author.
In October Lutchmanan launched the isiZulu version of the classic Tamil-language sacred poetic text, the Thirukural - a revered ancient text consisting of 1 330 couplets – a pair of rhyming lines that often form a sentence or complete a thought – is hailed as one of the masterpieces of Tamil literature.
She had produced 22 works, including the biography of Nelson Mandela in Tamil, a book titled Valliamma: A Child Soldier of South Africa’s Freedom (1898 to 1914), two CDs on spoken Tamil, and a set of readers for learners with special education needs. To mark Mandela’s birth anniversary, she translated 67 of his sayings into Tamil and launched it as a CD.
She was working on a book that explains the traditional Tamil cultural practices and rituals.
At her funeral on Thursday at the Clare Estate Crematorium, her long time friend, TV personality, Devi Sankaree Govender, described Lutchmanan as an icon.
"Over the 31 years of friendship she was determined with a strong sense of community, supportive and exceptionally generous. We met at Lotus FM in the mid 90s and we clicked immediately and a big part of that was our shared love for the Tamil language and culture," said Sankaree Govender.
Les Govender, deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), said he knew Lutchmanan for well over 35 years.
"She wrote children's books and she wrote many translations of the Tamil language into other languages so people could understand. The numerous hours that she spent researching and editing was invaluable. When she was doing the transcription and editing of Nelson Mandela's quotes she said she wanted people across the Tamil diaspora to understand what Mandela said and just how important his words were.
"She travelled to many countries where she presented papers on the Tamil language and she received many accolades and awards. Apart from going to India and doing charity work there, many people do not know of the organisations that she supported in our country," said Les Govender.
He said Lutchmanan was simple, down-to-earth and would not hesitate to take on anybody who challenged her because she knew what she was talking about when it came to her research and knowledge of the Tamil language, culture and traditions.
"She didn't have to write all those books to tell us how to do a prayer and why we do that prayer in a particular way, but she wanted us to have that knowledge to pass on to our children and grandchildren. Her dedication and commitment must be cherished," he said.
The Hindu Unity Forum of South Africa in a statement described Lutchmanan as a trailblazer, visionary, and devoted advocate of the Tamil language and culture.
"Her departure leaves an irreplaceable void in the Tamil diaspora and the broader South African community. She was a beacon of light for the Tamil-speaking community, ensuring that the richness of Tamil traditions and the wisdom of its literature were celebrated and shared widely."
Musician and cultural stalwart Solly Pillay said many might not have had the time to listen to Lutchmanan on radio, but she was almost the single light flickering nationally that kept the flame of Tamil burning bright.
"The Hindu and Tamil world in particular, has been robbed of one of our brightest gems in an arguably depleting cultural crown," said Pillay.
Lotus FM in a message on radio said that with over 25 years of dedicated service, Lutchmanan was an integral part of their team and played a pivotal role in shaping their religious and language programs.
"Her vast knowledge of language, culture, and religion had a profound impact on our communities, and her contributions will be deeply missed. Mala's literary works, particularly her book on Mandela's quotes translated into Tamil, will remain a testament to her passion and commitment to preserving our cultural heritage."
"Her time with Southside FM was characterised by her passion, grace, and deep sense of connection with her audience. She was a voice of wisdom and warmth, inspiring generations to embrace and celebrate their heritage," read a message from Southside FM.
