India
Soorya Krishnamoorthy dies before 48th festival
The Indian Express··2d ago
Nataraja Soorya Krishnamoorthy, founder of the Soorya Stage and Film Society, died in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. He joined ISRO in 1972 and left in 1999 for arts. The 48th Soorya festival was to start a 111-day run on October 1. Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan called him a revolutionary force in Malayalam theatre and arts.
Prism
What It Means For You
- The upcoming festival may proceed under organisers who built on Krishnamoorthy's decades-long programming.
- Limca Book records list the Soorya festival as Asia's longest and the society as its largest cultural body.
- State film and theatre institutions he led may announce memorial events across Kerala.
What's Happening
- Krishnamoorthy founded the Soorya film festival in 1977 and introduced Malayalam light-and-sound shows in 1978.
- He directed major ceremonies for Delhi's National Games and the 50th Republic Day celebrations.
- Satheesan praised his light-and-sound shows for opening a new chapter in Indian theatre.
From ISRO labs to festival stages
- He graduated in electrical engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, before joining ISRO.
- Colleagues included future president APJ Abdul Kalam during his 27 years as a space scientist.
- He served three terms as director of Kerala State Film Development Corporation and on national juries.
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