Maniam

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Maniam, born T. U. Subramaniam (1924–1968), was a Tamil illustrator famous for bringing Tamil history to life in magazines and novels. He grew up in Mylapore, Chennai, learning to draw from his uncle Lingayyah. He studied at a local school and later at the School of Arts in Chennai under Devi Prasad Roy Choudhury. While still a student, he met the writer Kalki Krishnamurthy, who invited him to work with Kalki magazine.

Maniam drew illustrations for Kalki’s serialized novels Sivagamiyin Sapatham, set in the Pallava era, and Ponniyin Selvan, about the Chola age. He used many techniques, including pen and ink, gouache, and watercolour. His pictures of the past and his depictions of Bharatanatyam postures were praised by dancers like Padma Subrahmanyam.

With Kalki, Maniam traveled to study art at Ajanta, Ellora, Hampi, Badami, Mamallapuram, and Thanjavur. When the film Parthiban Kanavu (1960) was made, he served as art director and also designed costumes for a few other films. He died in 1968 at about age 43 or 44. His son, T. S. Loganathan, also known as Maniam Selvan (born 1950), became a leading illustrator in Tamil magazines.