Colombo, April 22 -- Renowned veteran writer-journalist S Muthiah passed away in Chennai on 20th April, Saturday. He was 89. The Chronicler of the city of Chennai, known as Madras before, Mr. Muthiah leaves behind the history of Chennai and its heritage fully researched and recorded for the posterity.

Muthiah was born on April 13, 1930 to N.M. Subbiah Chettiar and Chittal Acchi at Pallathur, Ramanad district of the then Madras Presidency in British India. Muthiah's father was a stock broker and politician who served as Mayor of Colombo, British Ceylon and was one of the founders of the Ceylon India Congress in 1939.

He had his school education in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and then went to the United States of America to pursue higher educ...