Legendary Music Director MS Viswanathan Passes Away

14 July, Chennai

Legendary music composer MS Viswanathan has passed away in Chennai. He was 87, and is survived by four sons and three daughters.

He was admitted in a private hospital in the city last month for breathing trouble and loss of memory, and breathed his last Tuesday morning.

The southern veteran musician has composed music for over a thousand films in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam and was fondly called as the “King of Light Music.”

He has the distinction of having worked with four chief ministers in the film world, MG Ramachandran, NT Ramarao, M.Karunanidhi and J.Jayalalithaa. MS Viswanathan was born in a village in Palghat district of Kerala.

From abject poverty, he rose to fame with his melodies in a series of films in southern languages and ruled the industry for many decades.

Many political leaders and music fans pay homage to the departed veteran musician. His last rites are scheduled to be held on Wednesday in Chennai.