Soorya Krishnamoorthy, cultural icon and pioneer of stage art, passes away aged 75

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Soorya Krishnamoorthy, the pioneer who elevated theatre culture in Kerala and founder of the Soorya Stage and Film Society, passed away on Wednesday. He was 75. Krishnamoorthy was undergoing treatment for health-related ailments at KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The national award winner has served as the former chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.

Krishnamoorthy was born on April 11 1951, to T. Nataraja Pillai (former Chief Engineer of Kerala State) and C. Saraswathi Amma (activist with the Gandhi Peace Foundation) in Kottayam district. Before succumbing to his zest for arts and culture, Krishnamoorthy was a scientist/engineer with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who worked under scientist Bharat Ratna A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Soorya is touted as the largest cultural society in the world and the best in the country. Krishnamoorthy also introduced the first Light and Sound Show in Malayalam, ‘Veluthampi Dalava’ in 1978.

Soorya festival started in the year 1997 at the University Senate Hall on September 3 and since then has earned recognition as one of the finest culture event in the country, offering new doors for budding artists and underrated performers within the sphere of dance, music, art and cinema.