S. Muthiah, educated in Sri Lanka, India and the United
States, was a senior journalist in Sri Lanka for 17 years and then was in
printing and publishing in India for 22 years. His interest in the historical
has led to him being described as the Chronicler of Madras. Chronicled in
over 35 books are the stories of Madras (Chennai), those of several of its
leading institutions as well as of some of its eminent personalities, beside
those of two communities he has been part of: The Indo- Lankans and the Nattukottai
Chettiars. A full-time writer and editor since 1990, Muthiah edits Madras Musings, a fortnightly on the
city. He is also a columnist for The
Hindu, Madras. His best-known books are Madras
Rediscovered, MadrasIts Past and its
Present, A Madras Miscellany, Getting India on the Move, The Spencer Legend, Looking Back from Moulmein, The
Ace of Clubs, The Indo-Lankans
and The Chettiar Heritage. He was
awarded the MBE (1992) by the Queen of England for his work on heritage and
environmental conservation.
