On Saturday, October 22, 2022, the 84-year-old S Viswanathan (fondly called SV) left this world, leaving behind a legacy that is hard to describe. For over five decades now, his indelible imprint in the world of journalism through the magazine he founded ‘Industrial Economist’, reflected not only his passion but also his tenacity, among other attributes. He was an entrepreneur-journalist, a one-man army, who successfully wielded his pen with a force that endeared him to people from all walks of life.
It was in June this year that I had reached out to him for some insights on an obituary piece for ‘SAIL’ Krishnamurthy. And, not to my surprise, SV (who was in the US then) immediately sent back pages of information that captured the spirit of the 97-year-old personality, who in SV’s words, made the ‘Hanuman jump’ possible as he transformed the manufacturing backbone of our country. Little did I realise four months later, I would be asked to write an obit on SV, my first boss in journalism. Yes, he was the man who laid the foundations of a career that I had not yet firmed up before I joined his magazine in 1998. He helped realise my aspirations to become a financial journalist, through learning on the job.
The bundle of energy that he was, it got reflected each time one saw him at media-related conferences. Always sporting a smile, SV’s ability to roll out data points at the drop of a hat, was indeed commendable. No, age had not slowed him. His sprightly gait, defying his eight decades of existence backed by knowledge and expertise, have won him plaudits from people across the spectrum. Top-notch industrialists, entrepreneurs, bureaucrats, scientists, politicians, professors, students, to cite a few examples, were won over by his simplicity as well as his exemplary work ethic.
On a weekend, when typically, a scribe may tend to take it easy, SV proved that he was made of a different stuff. His appetite to learn, question besides his innate ability to connect with people were visible each time one saw him in several events or interactions. His trademark 100-page or 60-page traditional notebook would be his ‘go to’ point, as he would take notes copiously for culling out information that would serve as fodder later for the well-researched and in-depth stories that he has written over 50 years.
His biggest strength was his ability to network and forge connections that lasted a lifetime. A thorough media professional, he brought a dimension to communication that has constantly amazed people. A man of simple tastes, he was content with the humble ‘Tambrahm’ food, as he would settle for curd rice in many external engagements, where the rich food spread draws individuals to dig into. And, when it came to admonishing his mentees, the word that still rings a bell is ‘brihaspati’!
Those of us, and let me assure you there are hundreds of such individuals, who have had the fortune of training under him, remained inspired by his subject knowledge and his ‘child-like’ enthusiasm. He has never shied away from burning the midnight oil, when bringing out the fortnightly editions of the magazine that he started in 1968. SV was a voracious reader, avid traveller and a terrific host, treating diplomats and dignitaries in a manner that exemplifies the ‘vasudeva kutumbakam’ philosophy. A connoisseur of music, he truly embraced the ‘Kurai Ondrum Illai’ essence of the composition made famous by the ‘Bharat Ratna’ musician MS Subbulakshmi.
The journalist, who has travelled the world over, always came back enlightened. Each of his stories were a reflection of this, as he would seamlessly integrate his views and understanding in his reportage as he took his readers into the fascinating world of financial journalism. His writing on the macro and micro aspects of the businesses would strike a chord as he interspersed the narratives with an emotion, unique to him.
Covering personalities such as the father of green revolution, MS Swaminathan or the man behind the white revolution, Dr Verghese Kurien or leather scientist T Ramaswami of the industrial era to the new-age mavericks like Sridhar Vembu of Zoho, SV’s story-telling skills left the reader hooked. The stories offered a perspective on the efforts, struggles, pains and gains of the individuals. He has withstood the pressures of bringing out several special issues, as the rigour of visiting factories, interviewing people only brought a sparkle in his eyes, as his quest to present the latest developments to his readers/subscribers were paramount to him.
Similarly, his keenness to highlight issues of national importance often led him to organise round-tables and events that saw the participation of renowned experts, like the seminar on WTO. This was orchestrated at a time when its impact was yet to be discovered. SV was a visionary, a thinker, an economist, a journalist par excellence. SV leaves a void in the world of business journalism that will be hard to fill.
SOME FACTOIDS
- S Viswanathan (84), Editor & Publisher, Industrial Economist
- Survived by wife Padma, son Bala Swaminathan, daughter Sangita and four grand-children
- PG in mathematics and political science from Madras University
- Teacher for short while at Madras Christian College
- Launched transport monthly Mobile in 1962, the business magazine Industrial Economist in March 1968
- Extensively travelled covering remote parts within country
- Covered over hundred industrial projects in Germany, Britain, France, Japan, and especially the US, where he has visited over 20 States in detail
Article is authored by Hemamalini Venkatraman, Business Editor, DTNext.
