K. SUNDAR (SUNDAR KALIAPPAN), b. 18 June 1963.

Assistant Professor of Tamil, Gandhigram Rural Institute - Deemed University,

Gandhigram.

2, Jawahar Road, Chokkikulam, Madurai – 625 002, Tamil Nadu, India.

Phone : 0452 – 2520272. E-mail : sundarkali @ yahoo.co.in

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy, 2003.

Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai.

Title of Dissertation : “A Study of the Prahlada Natakam Tradition of Tanjavur
District”.

Master of Arts, 1990.

Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai.

Bachelor of Arts, 1983.

The American College, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai.

SCHOLARSHIPS

1992 – ’95 Junior Research Fellow

(University Grants Commission of India)

1995 – ’97 Senior Research Fellow

(University Grants Commission of India)

WORK EXPERIENCE

1985 – ’86 Project Officer, School Outreach and Community Outreach

Programs, The American College, Madurai.

1989 – ’91 Project Officer, Extension Department, The American College,

Madurai.

1990 – ’92 Part-time Lecturer in Theatre, Theatre Arts Division, Department

of Art History, Aesthetics, and Fine Arts, Madurai Kamaraj
University, Madurai.

1999 – ’02 Lecturer in Tamil Language and Literature, Department of Tamil,

The American College, Madurai.
 2

2003 – ’04 Lecturer in Tamil Language and Literature, Tamil Language

Programme, American Institute of Indian Studies, Madurai.

2004 – ’06 Guest Lecturer, Department of Social Work, The American

College, Madurai.

2005 – ’06 Guest Lecturer, Department of Folklore, School of Performing

Arts, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai.

2006 – Assistant Professor, Department of Tamil, Faculty of Tamil,

Indian Languages and Rural Arts, Gandhigram Rural Institute,
Gandhigram.

COURSES TAUGHT

1. Introduction to Modern Linguistics

2. History of Tamil Language
3. Core Tamil – 1
4. Core Tamil – 2
5. Tolkappiyam
6. The Development of Poetic Form in Tamil Literature
7. The Development of Themes in Tamil Poetry
8. Literatures, Ideologies and Movements
9. Literary Theory : An Introduction
10. Minor Literatures in Tamil
11. Introduction to Sanskrit Literature
12. History of Theatre
13. Aspects of Modern Theatre
14. Acting for Beginners
15. Advanced Course in Acting
16. Drama through Other Media
17. Development Communication and Strategies for Advocacy
18. Journalism and Mass Communication
19. Media Studies
20. Folkloristics : Theory and Method
21. Advanced Theories in Folkloristics
 3

SELECT LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

1982 (with M. Yuvan, E. Tambidurai and Sophia) Notikalin Uraippu.

Madurai : Vekam Veliyitu.

1984 “Turkkira Avalam”, Annam Vitu Tutu, Oct. 1984.

1987 “Torra Yatarttamum Yatarttamum”, Kanaiyali, Oct. 1987.

1990 “Kutumpam Parriya Enkelsin Kotpatum Namatu Kalattin

Kelvikalum”, Nikal, No.13, Feb. 1990.

1992 “Mysticism as Masquerade: Guna and the Politics of Religion

and Madness”, Deep Focus, Vol. IV, No.2.

1994 “Annakari Innatitu : Catankartta Unavum Camukamum Parriya

Cila Kurippukal”, Paralkal, Vol.8. Madurai : Tamil Research
Scholars Association, Madurai Kamaraj University.

1995 “Tontarum Ammaiyum : Katai Inaivin Tarkkam”, Paralkal, Vol.9.

Madurai : Tamil Research Scholars Association, Madurai
Kamaraj University.

1995 (with A. Ganeswari, A. Pappa and V.S. Eswari) ed., Paralkal,

Vol.9. Madurai : Tamil Research Scholars Association, Madurai
Kamaraj University.

1996 “Tirumukamum Cuyamukamum : Mukamutikal Parriyoru

Cirukurippu”, Paralkal, Vol.10. Madurai : Tamil Research
Scholars Association, Madurai Kamaraj University.

1997 (with T. Chinnaraj Joseph) “Syrian Christian”, in R. Thirumalai

and S. Manoharan, eds., People of India : Tamil Nadu,
Vol. XL, Part Three. Madras : Affiliated East-West Press in
Collaboration with the Anthropological Survey of India.

1998 (with Ravi Srinivas) “On Castes and Comedians : The Language
of Power in Recent Tamil Cinema”, in Ashis Nandy, ed., The
Secret Politics of Our Desires : Innocence, Culpability and
Indian Popular Cinema. Delhi : Oxford University Press.
 4

1998 “Onrippillac Camukankalin Catankum Ataiyalamum Parriya Cila

Kurippukal”, in T.S. Natarajan and A. Ramasamy, eds., Pinnai
Navinattuvam : Kotpatukalum Tamilcculalum. Coimbatore:
Vitiyal Patippakam.

1998 “Teiva Ulakkalil Velippatum Mettimaip Panpattirkum Atittalap

Panpattirkum Itaiyilana Muran”, in A. Marx and P. Velsamy,
eds., Vilimpunilai Ayvukalum Tamilk Kataiyatalkalum.
Kumbakonam : Nirappirikai Veliyitukal.

1999 “Spatializing History : Subaltern Carnivalizations of Space in

Tiruppuvanam, Tamil Nadu”, in Gautam Bhadra, Gyan Prakash and
Susie Tharu, eds., Subaltern Studies X : Writings on South
Asian History and Society. Delhi : Oxford University Press.

2000 “Narrating Seduction : Vicissitudes of the Sexed Subject in Tamil

Nativity Film”, in Ravi Vasudevan, ed., Making Meaning in
Indian Cinema. Delhi : Oxford University Press.

2002 “Mythicizing the White Man : Colonialism and Fantasy in a Folk

Tradition”, in Partha Chatterjee and Anjan Ghosh, eds., History
and the Present. Delhi : Permanent Black.

2003 (with Parimalam Sundar) ed., Mavurru Velappar Kavatic Cintu.

Andipatti : SKAP Vajravel Publication.

2005 Tirumukamum Cuyamukamum : Panpattayvuk Katturaikal.

Madurai : Karon-Niron Patippakam.

2005 “Exceeding Bounds : Identification, the Female Spectator, and

Tamil Cinema”, in Satish Poduval, ed., Re-figuring Culture :
History, Theory and the Aesthetic in Contemporary India.
Delhi : Sahitya Akademi.

2006 “Masquerading Death : Aspects of Ritual Masking in the

Community Theatres of Tanjavur”, in David Shulman and
Deborah Thiagarajan, eds., Masked Ritual and Performance in
South India : Dance, Healing and Possession. Ann Arbor :
The University of Michigan.
 5

2007 “Aracanmutal Atimaivarai : Vettiyan Pattai Munvaittuc Cila

Kurippukal”. Vallinam, Nos. 15-16, Dec. 2006 – May 2007.

2007 “Iraniya Natakattil Konankiyum Naracimmamum”, in K. Palani,

ed., Kirikki : Kuttut Totarpana Katturaikal. Chennai : Marru.

2007 “Natakattin Marrukal : Cila Kotpattup Piraccinaikal”, in

K.A.Gunasekaran, ed., Tamil Arankiyal . Chennai : Kavya.

2008 (with A.Pitchai) eds., Bharatikkup Pin Pennum Kavitaiyum.

Gandhigram : Bharati Fellowship Programme, Gandhigram
Rural Institute.

2008 (with T. Paramasivan) Camayam. Chennai : Tenticaip

Patippakam.

2008 “Natakam Payilutal : Putiya Puritalkalai Nokki”, in A.Karunanidhi,

ed., Uyarkalvit Turaiyil Tamil Ilakkiyam Karpittalil Putiya
Anukumuraiyum Payanpatum. Tiruchirappalli : Urumu
Dhanalakshmi College.

Interview

1993 (with Ravi Srinivas and Kumar) “Ramarai Atippataiyakak Konta

Araciyal Atikarattaik Kaipparrac Ceyyappatum Muyarciye”. Interview
with Asghar Ali Engineer. Subamangala, Vol.6, No.1, May 1993.

Translation

1997 “The Temple Entry Event : Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, 1939”.

Translation of “1939 – Maduraik Koyil Aricana Alayap
Piravecam” by T. Paramasivan. South Indian Studies, No.4,
July – Dec. 1997.
Forthcoming “Video Mariyamman”. Translation of a Tamil short story by the
writer Imaiyam. Satyanarayana and Susie Tharu, eds., Dalit
Writings from South India. Delhi : Penguin.
 6

CONFERENCE ABROAD

1994 International Conference on Oral History, Columbia University,

New York.

VISITING FACULTY

1993 Visiting Faculty Assistant, Department of South Asian Studies,

University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A. (Elementary Tamil
Course during the ten-week summer session).

2002 Visiting Lecturer in Tamil Language and Literature, Department

of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, University of
Chicago, Chicago, U.S.A. (All levels of Tamil).

SEMINARS ORGANIZED

Seminar Director, National Seminar on Globalisation and Its impact on

Indian Higher Education, The American College, Jan. 24 -25, 2006.

Seminar Director, National Seminar on Indian Multiculturalism and

Christian Educational Institutions, The American College, March 6 -7, 2006.

Seminar Coordinator, Seminar on Woman and Poetry after Bharati,

Bharati Fellowship Programme, Department of Tamil, Faculty of Tamil,
Indian Languages and Rural Arts, Gandhigram Rural Institute, Sep.11-12, 2008.

WORK IN THEATRE

Acting and Directing

Acted in and/or directed more than twenty five major productions.

Workshops
Organized and served in the faculty of various theatre workshops for students,
non-governmental organizations and the general public.

Theatre Groups
Founded, along with others, four theatre groups : Kuttar Utayam, Stage Left,
Sudesihal, and Kuttarkal Kalam.

Courses Taught
Has taught the following courses for M.A. (Theatre Arts) and B.A. (Tamil)
students :
i) History of Theatre
ii) Aspects of Modern Theatre
iii) Acting for Beginners
 7

iv) Advanced Course in Acting

v) Drama through Other Media

Publications
Has Published Papers on Traditional and Modern Theatre.

WORK IN FILM

Education
Certificate in Film Appreciation, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune,
1991.

Film Clubs
Member
1. The American College Film Club
2. Yathartha Film Society
3. Vaigai Film Society

Position
Coordinator, Centre for Media and Culture, Gandhigram Rural Institute,
Gandhigram.

Workshops
Organized and served in the faculty of various media education and film
studies workshops.

Festival
Coordinator, The Gandhigram Documentary and Short Film Festival - 2008.

Courses Taught
Has taught the following courses for M.A. (Social Work) and B.A. (Tamil)
students:
i) Development Communication and Strategies for Advocacy.
ii) Journalism and Mass Communication.

Publications
Has Published Papers on Indian Film.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Founded and served for several years as the convener of the Madurai
Research Circle.