Varadharajan

Pavalar Varadharajan was a singer, lyric writer, composer, musician, drama writer who mainly did music programs for the Communist Party of India during election campaigns.

Varadharajan was born in Pannaipuram village (now a town in Theni district of Tamil Nadu) to Ramaswamy and Chinnathayi. His brothers are R.D. Bhaskar, Ilaiyaraaja, and Gangai Amaran.

He was noticed by the communist leaders for his singing talent. During the 1958 Devikulam by election he campaigned for Rosamma Punnoose belonging to Communist Party of India (CPI) by singing political songs written and composed by himself in and around the tea estates in the constituency. CPI won the election. During the victory meeting, the then chief minister of Kerala, E. M. S. Namboodiripad mentioned that Pavalar Varadharajan was the main reason for the victory in the election. After that he started an orchestra singing political songs for the communist party of India and performed across various cities in India.

The collection of songs written by him was released as book by Ilayaraja.

Due to health problems, Varadharajan was admitted in a hospital in Madurai and died there on 2 December 1973.

Varadharajan married Seeniyammal sometime before 1952. The couple had three sons: Stalin Varadharajan (aka "Ilaya Gangai") Homo Jov Daniel (aka "Pavalar Mainthan"), and "Pavalar" Sivaraman. Seeniyammal died on 9 April 2020.

Stalin Varadharajan died around 2006 due to jaundice at the age of 54.

Jo, who was working as assistant director, died on 15 July 2020.

Sivaraman, who was a guitarist for Ilayaraja's film commitments, died of heart failure on 2 May 2023 at the age of 60. He is survived by his wife and three children.

In the film Chinna Pasanga Naanga (1992), the protagonist Muthukaalai (Murali) and his friends establish "Pavalar Varadharajan Mandram" to carry out reforms in their village.

• Padipaligalin paarvaiyil Pavalar Varadharajan (Pavalar Varadharajan in the eyes of creators) by Sangai Velavan.