Paul Samuelson - RIP

Like an editor deciding on the "lead story" of the day, I was in a dilemma about what to blog - Accenture & Tiger Woods split or Paul's obituary. The answer was simple in the end because its Paul. The man, who probably wrote the best economics textbook ever, continues to inspire millions of students worldwide that it is worth pursuing a career in dismal science.

I first read his textbook a few years ago though by then it was already a 50+ year old classic. Though it was 56 year old, it was still quite contemporary & relevant.

The NYT has a wonderfully written obituary on the great man. Please read it.

D.K.Pattammal - RIP

Paul Newman - RIP

Paul Newman was a radical in every sense of the word. Blessed with amazing good looks and those riveting "blue eyes", he was one of the most handsome Hollywood actors. With such urbanity and suaveness, he could have easily become a choclate boy hero. But he chose not to, and played with ease characters of con men and rebel.

"The Sting" still remains one of my favorite movies while Newman immortalized the role of " Butch Cassidy" in " Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid" ( from which Thiruda Thiruda was remade).

Newman's greatest contribution to humanity was not through arts but through his Philanthropic foundation. He donated more than $200 million from his business venture " Newman's Own" for terminally ill Children. Here is my earlier blog post on it.

He was also a great race driver and its an irony that I learnt about his death from the F1 commentator at the Singapore GP ( F1) yesterday.

I was so fascinated by this intellectual, down-to-earth actor that one of my earliest quizzes was on him. Paul, I will miss you.

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan - RIP

He was the Ian Botham of Carnatic music ( if there was such an analogy). He was colorful, controversial, mercurial but immensely talented. Kunnakudi might not have been a favorite with the"purists" but he did more than any other leading artiste to popularize carnatic music to the masses. He was one of the few instrumentalists who was a big crowd puller amongst the masses.

I have always been amazed how well he could "talk" with his Violin. May his soul RIP.