Abraham Pandithar

Rao Sahib Abraham Pandithar (August 2, 1859 – August 31, 1919) was a Tamil musicologist, composer, medical doctor, and traditional medicine practitioner from Sambavar Vadakarai in Tirunelveli District. Born to Muthusamy Pandithar and Annammal, he belonged to a Tamil Christian family. He studied at CVES Normal Teachers Training School, becoming a teacher there in 1876. Interested in Siddha medicine, he researched herbs in Suruli hills under Siddhar Karunandhar before teaching Tamil in Tanjore. In 1890, he dedicated himself to medical research, establishing a farm for medicinal plants and a clinic.

His interest in Tamil music began after reading Silapathikaram by U.V. Swaminatha Iyer in 1892. He studied traditional and Western music, conducting extensive research and founding the Sangeetha Vidhyalaya Mahajana Sangam, organizing six music conferences between 1912–1914. In 1917, he published Karunamirdha Sagaram, a seminal work on Tamil music, and another collection of practice songs. He translated Keerthanais into Tamil and presented his research at the All India Music Conference in Baroda in 1916.

Pandithar was honored with the titles "Pandithar" and "Rao Sahib" by the colonial government in 1909. His wife, Gnanavadivu Ponnammal, was a headmistress; after her death, he married Bhagyammal. Following his death, his family continued his legacy: his son wrote Paanarkaivazhi, his daughter completed part of Karunamirdha Sagaram, and his grandson became a musician. In 2008, the Tamil Nadu government nationalized his works.