N. Palanivelu was a Tamil language playwright, poet, essayist and novelist. A former contributing writer with Tamil Murasu; presenter-producer with Radio Malaya and subsequently Radio Television Singapore; and president and resident playwright with the Tamil Reform Association Drama Group, he wrote many poems, essays and short stories for newspapers and magazines. But it was his radio plays for which Palanivelu became most acclaimed. Written at a time when Tamil migrants formed a large part of the labour workforce in Singapore, Palanivelu’s plays reflected the social realities of the Tamil diaspora while entertaining and encouraging his audience to approach their lives in their new environment with courage, hope, hard work and pride in their Tamil identity.

Born in 1908 in the Tanjore District of Sikkal in Tamil Nadu, India, Natesan Palanivelu grew up under the influence of his playwright and songwriter grandfather. In 1927, after graduating from National High School in Nagappattinam, India, with a Secondary School Leaving Certificate, he travelled to Malaya and worked as a wages clerk and as a primary school teacher.

Three years later, in 1930, Palanivelu made his way to Singapore at the age of 21, finding work as a ticket clerk with the Singapore Traction Company, where he would remain employed for several years. He devoted his spare time to writing poems, plays, novellas and short stories based on his observations of the life of Tamil settlers like himself in Singapore and fuelled by his interest in both classical Indian literature and socio-political developments in India. In 1931, he published his first poem Valimai (Strength) in the magazine Navaneetham.

Soon after, Palanivelu became acquainted with Thamizhavel Ko Sarangapani, the founder of Singapore Tamil newspaper, Tamil Murasu. They found common ground in their shared ideals and interests and struck up a close friendship, and Thamizhavel would come to publish many of Palanivelu’s poems and stories in Tamil Murasu.

Shortly after his arrival in Singapore, Palanivelu also became a member of the Tamil Reform Association Drama Group, and in 1933 was appointed its president and resident playwright, a post he would retain until 1949. During this period of time, India underwent a period of social reformation as people started protesting against the social injustices of the Hindu caste system and the suppression of women legally and socially, and theatre became as a tool for social change by Indian dramatists and activists. Likewise in Singapore, the cause was taken up by Palanivelu and the Tamil Reform Association Drama Group.

After his service with the Tamil Reform Association Drama Group, he joined the then Radio Malaya (later Radio Television Singapore) as a Tamil language broadcaster, translator and presenter, and began writing more plays for radio broadcast.

By this time, Palanivelu had become a household name with Tamil Murasu readers. He had also amassed a large body of literary and dramatic works comprising poems, short stories, novellas, essays and radio plays, with many of his literary works being published in magazines as well. Among his most well-known works written in the '30s and '40s are Kalyana Panthalil, published in Tamil Murasu in 1936, and his poetry collection Kavithai Malargal, published in 1947.

But it was for his radio plays that Palanivelu would receive most acclaim and recognition. Palanivelu wrote his plays to entertain as well as build solidarity and community-mindedness amongst the migrant Tamil population. Tamil migrants formed a large part of the lowly paid labour workforce in Singapore and Malaysia, and Palanivelu’s plays reflected the present-day social realities of the migrant Tamil community in their simple yet realistic plots and dialogue. At the same time, they encouraged his audience to approach their lives in their new environment with courage, a sense of fellowship with others in the community and pride in their Tamil identity. In his plays, he sought to emphasise commonality and avoided caste distinctions. Instead, he wrote in standard colloquial Tamil and focused on universal values, concerns and topics such as love, family, community, social injustice and morality.

For his contributions to Tamil literature in Singapore, Palanivelu was honoured with several awards. He was bestowed the title of Naadaga Sigamani (Master Playwright) by the Bhaskar’s Arts Academy in 1978, the Kala Ratna award by the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society in 1987 and the Thamizhavel Viruthu literary award by the Association of Singapore Tamil Writers in 1997. In 1986, Palanivelu received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to drama.

On 11 Nov 2000, Palanivelu passed away, leaving behind four sons, three daughters and a legacy of important Tamil literary and dramatic works.