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A coffee-table book, The Complete Artist, showcasing the works of legendary illustrator Maniam, who brought to beingness iconic humanities characters successful Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan and Sivagamiyin Sabatham and Rajaji’s Chakravarthi Thirumagan and Vyasar Virunthu, was released by The Hindu Group successful Chennai connected Thursday (October 9, 2025). The publication merchandise marks the illustrator’s commencement centenary.
Veteran histrion Sivakumar, an creator himself, released the archetypal transcript of the book, produced successful relation with Maniam Selven, the lad of the precocious illustrator. The archetypal fewer copies of the publication were received by Seetha Ravi and Lakshmi Natarajan, granddaughters of legendary writer Kalki Krishnamurthy; Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited; and Thota Tharani, creation manager astatine an lawsuit held at The Hindu’s office successful Chennai.
Mr. Sivakumar described Maniam arsenic a towering creator who, contempt having lived for lone 44 years, achieved the stature of a humanities figure. “Kalki [Krishnamurthy] lived lone 55 years and Maniam lived lone 44 years, but some stay timeless legends,” helium said, recalling the illustrator’s 28-year-long vocation that began erstwhile helium was conscionable 17.
He said that Maniam’s illustrations for Ponniyin Selvan transformed the mode readers imagined the epic’s characters. “Through his art, we saw Vandiyathevan, Aditya Karikalan, Arulmozhi Varman, Poonguzhali, Nandhini and Kundavai travel live earlier our eyes,” helium said.
Ms. Ravi said she had the accidental to spot Maniam’s archetypal illustrations and hailed their creator worth and the immense effort down them. Capturing and presenting their essence successful this coffee-table publication was genuinely remarkable, she said.
Mr. Selven recalled his archetypal sojourn to the Kalki magazine bureau erstwhile helium was 5 years old, on with his father. “Although helium achieved overmuch successful his career, helium could not implicit his ceremonial acquisition arsenic helium began illustrating portion inactive a pupil astatine the School of Arts. Sometimes, helium would telephone maine to assistance him. He lived for lone a twelvemonth aft I joined the College of Fine Arts. But helium advised maine to decorativeness my studies adjacent if I started my vocation arsenic an illustrator early,” Mr. Selven said.
“When a transcript of this publication was fixed to maine for proofreading, I work it astatine the precise array wherever my begetter erstwhile created his illustrations. I felt helium continued to usher maine arsenic a soundless teacher,” Mr. Selven said.
Geetha Venkataramanan, curator of the book, said, “Working connected this publication was a surreal acquisition for me. I consciousness arsenic though the instrumentality has travel afloat circle. I began reading Kalki and different magazines astatine the property of 10 astatine the Kasturi Srinivasan Library. It felt similar returning to my childhood.”
Suresh Nambath, Editor, The Hindu; L.V. Navaneeth, Chief Executive Officer, The Hindu, household members of Maniam, R. Srinivasan, Head - Magazines and Special Publications, The Hindu, were among those present.
The coffee-table book, divided into 4 chapters, is simply a ocular dainty with implicit 400 works of Maniam hand-picked by Mr. Selven. The publication is priced astatine ₹3,999 and is present disposable astatine ₹2,999 for a constricted play of clip arsenic a motorboat offer. The publication tin beryllium purchased astatine The Hindu’s online bookstore astatine publications.thehindugroup.com/bookstore/
