Kerala's cultural icon Soorya Krishnamoorthy dies, leaves lasting legacy

Dubai: Renowned cultural personality, theatre director and former ISRO scientist Soorya Krishnamoorthy died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. He had been critically ill for about two weeks, according to reports.

Krishnamoorthy, founder of the Soorya Stage and Film Society, was a major figure in Kerala’s cultural landscape, helping bring theatre, music, dance and cinema to wider audiences.

Born Nataraja Krishnamoorthy, he graduated in electrical engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, in 1972 and began his career as a scientist-engineer with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His growing involvement in the arts eventually led him to devote his career to cultural activities.

He founded the Soorya Festival in 1977, developing it into a major platform for Indian and international performers. The Soorya organisation later expanded its activities across music, dance, theatre, cinema, workshops and other art forms. Its official website says the organisation has chapters in 36 countries and describes the festival as one of Asia’s longest-running cultural festivals.

Krishnamoorthy was also involved in several major cultural and film institutions. He served as chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and as director of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation. He was associated with national and state film award committees, the NFDC Script Committee, the Indian Panorama selection committee and the Doordarshan Advisory Committee.

His contribution to stagecraft and direction earned him the National Award for Stage Craft and Direction in 1996. He was also honoured by the governments of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and received the Kerala Prabha, one of Kerala’s highest civilian honours.

His work extended beyond theatre. Krishnamoorthy wrote the screenplay for the 2011 Malayalam courtroom drama Melvilasom, based on his acclaimed stage play, and served on several film award juries. The play itself was staged hundreds of times, according to reports.

A pioneer of large-scale light-and-sound productions, Krishnamoorthy used technology and stagecraft to present Indian culture to mass audiences. His work helped establish Soorya as an enduring cultural platform and created opportunities for both established performers and emerging artists.

For decades, Krishnamoorthy remained a distinctive presence in Kerala’s cultural life, bringing together his scientific background and his passion for the performing arts. The institutions and festivals he built, particularly Soorya, remain central to his legacy.

With inputs from Agencies